Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography: Blog

Short-eared Owl Winter 2024-2025

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Mon, 24 Mar 2025 01:43:01 GMT

Short-eared Owls spend the summer on their breeding ground in Canada, Alaska, and even parts of Northern United States. During the winter when finding food becomes difficult, they can be a medium-distance migrant further into the US.

I have created a couple blogs in the past about "Shorties" and, several years ago, I wrote an article about them for Pennsylvania Magazine.

This year I decided to create a video showcasing the photos and video I made November 2024 through January 2025.

Click on the video below to begin.

I hope you enjoy it.

Short-eared Owl Winter 2024-2025 Short-eared Owl Winter 2024-2025

Thank you for watching!

Dan

McConnells Mill Heritage Festival PA Magazine Article

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Thu, 21 Nov 2024 04:57:25 GMT

HDR

Hello again. I have one more article I'd like to share with you.

I had an article published in the September/October 2022 issue of Pennsylvania Magazine. In the article, I wanted to share with readers the amazing story of the creation of Slippery Rock Gorge and McConnells Mill in Lawrence County, PA. Along with the history of the gorge, I included a mention of one of the BEST country festivals, with a Hallmark Movie feel, in Western Pennsylvania.

Occasionally, I get the cover of the magazine and that is what happened on the September/October 2022 magazine. The cover is the first picture displayed once you click the link below.

McConnells Mill Heritage Festival

If you're not a subscriber of Pennsylvania Magazine, you should check it out sometime. The following is taken from their website.

Pennsylvania Magazine Website

Welcome to the website of an old-fashioned print publication.

We started publishing this magazine way back in 1981, and we continue to find topics of interest to our readers, including history, people, places and events that make living here such a wonderful experience.

We also have photo contests, an annual scavenger hunt, location contest in each issue, a calendar of events, and spectacular photography.

We come out with a new edition every two months and mail them to our subscribers and place them at newsstands throughout the state. When you subscribe, you ensure that you’ll receive a copy of each edition.

There’s so much to see and do and know about our Keystone State. We thank those who have already joined us in our endeavor and invite those who haven’t yet to come along for the ride.

It’s always a Beautiful Day in PA!

Get a free sample at get your free sample

Prothonotary Warbler - Striking Gold - Pennsylvania Magazine Article

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Sun, 10 Nov 2024 04:41:40 GMT

Prothonotary Warbler

Hello everyone. In May 2024, I had another article published in "Pennsylvania Magazine". This one was about the Prothonotary Warbler and conservation efforts in Pennsylvania's wetlands. It includes interesting interviews with people involved in making sure this precious little bird thrives in Pennsylvania.

Check it out and let me know what you think. Click on the link below.

Striking Gold

If you're not a subscriber of Pennsylvania Magazine, you should check it out sometime. The following is taken from their website.

Pennsylvania Magazine Website

Welcome to the website of an old-fashioned print publication.

We also have photo contests, an annual scavenger hunt, location contest in each issue, a calendar of events, and spectacular photography.

There’s so much to see and do and know about our Keystone State. We thank those who have already joined us in our endeavor and invite those who haven’t yet to come along for the ride.

It’s always a Beautiful Day in PA!

Get a free sample at get your free sample

White-tailed Deer: Spring thru Fall 2023

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Sun, 28 Jan 2024 21:44:59 GMT

I have grown quite fond of photographing our larger mammals like Elk, Black Bear, and White-tailed Deer. They all present a different challenge but catching behavioral photos and video of White-tailed Deer is rewarding simply because of their skittish nature. Here is a 7 minute video of some White-tailed Deer encounters I had in 2023.

The video could have been a lot longer but I didn't include everything in order to keep it short.

White-tailed Deer 2023 White-tailed Deer 2023

2023 Pennsylvania Elk Journey to the Rut

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Mon, 23 Oct 2023 20:48:59 GMT

Throughout the year, I try to spend time observing our Pennsylvania Elk herd. This year, I was able to document bull elk during several phases of antler growth right up to using them as weapons during the rut. I put it all together in a video presentation called "Pennsylvania Elk, A Photographic and Cinematic Journey to the Rut".

It is 17 minutes long so grab your favorite beverage, sit back, and get a glimpse into the life of a bull elk.

Thank you for watching.

Cades Cove 2023, Black Bear

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Mon, 10 Jul 2023 00:55:22 GMT

When I go to Cades Cove, Black Bear are my favorite subject to photograph. Pennsylvania Black Bear are quite a bit more afraid of people and the Cades Cove Black Bear are more acclimated to people. The result is bears who aren't afraid of me! They are still quite wild but at least they aren't ducking into the thick woods when seen.

That's what this photo essay is about. Black Bears I encountered during a late April 2023 visit. I hope you enjoy the photos, videos, and the stories behind them all.

You can't see it in this photo but this 2-3 year old was chewing on a section of leg bone that looked like it could have come from a deer. When he looked up, I grabbed a few photos.

Black Bear

This is the same bear after he stood up, turned around, and laid back down.

Black Bear

During most of my hikes through the woods, I was accompanied by my travel partner Jake Dingel. Many times we split up and met at a predefined rendezvous point. Shortly after meeting at one of our locations, we spotted this bear walking down the hillside towards us. He stopped to eat along the way.

Black Bear

There is quite a story behind this sow. She and her three cubs hung out in the vicinity of the southern side of Sparks Lane and the Cades Cove Loop Road. We happened to be driving when a Park Ranger stepped out in front of us and stopped traffic. They closed Sparks Lane and any forward access to the loop road until she and her cubs crossed. Since we were first in line, we pulled over and grabbed our gear.

Black Bear

After a few minutes she allowed her cubs to follow.

Black Bear

The family crisscrossed the road a couple times. The Mom spent time eating the vegetation growing along the road while the cubs chased each other and climbed trees, putting on a nice show.

Black Bear

We were told by the Park Ranger that people have been harassing this bear family by not leaving them alone. It was getting to the point they were going to begin handing out fines. The fines can be in the thousands of dollars. Jake and I decided not to be a part of the problem and did not seek to photograph this family in the following days. By the end of the week, a local bear expert told us there were a couple people placed in handcuffs and charged with harassment.

Even though some people during the week got lucky and saw this family feeding in the fields, this was the last photo I made during my one-time encounter.

Black Bear

There is an alternative route out of Cades Cove if you want to take a break from the traffic. Rich Mountain Road is a one-way, 7-mile journey on a twisting gravel road that leads north out of Cades Cove and ends in the town of Townsend. The road winds through quiet forest with steep slopes on both sides. We only saw one bear on this 7-mile road. It was sitting on the low side of the road so we stopped and watched from a distance for a while.

Black Bear

When we leave the road and hike the woods, streams, or meadow edges, we are watching for bear sign. Usually we find bear droppings but this was a good sign bear were near.

Black Bear

I think this is the same bear that was chewing on the bone the day before. Today, eating grass was on his mind.

Black Bear

We came across this sow and her three cubs in a dense section of the woods. It was difficult to get a clean shot. This is the sow standing up to eat leaves.

Black Bear

She sat next to a tree and one of her cubs came running over. I was hoping she would nurse them because she happened to sit in the only spot that I had a fairly clear view. She didn't feed her cubs at this time.

Black Bear

This two year old was seen a few days in a row in places within 100 yards of each other. It must like that territory.

Black Bear

This is a large male (boar) that we found far out in a field. We took a few photos and moved on.

Black Bear

Black Bears are omnivorous, meaning they will eat a variety of things, including both plants and meat. Their diet includes roots, berries, meat, fish, insects, larvae, grass, and other succulent plants. This bear was high in a White Oak tree eating the spring flowers. It's amazing how comfortable a Black Bear is high in trees. Nothing bothers them even if the tree sways a lot. Watch this short video to the end so you don't miss a little bear acrobatics.

Black Bear in White Oak Black Bear in White Oak

This image was made as the bear climbed the weak tree close to the end of the video.

Black Bear

Once it climbed down at the end of the video, it continued to eat plants on the ground.

Black Bear

There weren't as many sows with cubs in Cades Cove this year. One of the reasons was the presence of at least two very large boars living in Cades Cove.

Females give birth to cubs in January and the cubs stay with the mother for about 18 months. She chases them off on their own just in time for mating season, which begins about June. Unfortunately, females want to breed every two years but males want to breed every year. Females won't mate if they have first year cubs. So, male bears try to kill the cubs. If they are successful, the female may mate. No wonder male bears don't help raise cubs!

This is one of the large males I spoke about. We found him grazing in a raspberry vine field. Since it was April, the grass was still short and the vines haven't leafed out yet. We wouldn't have this view two months later.

Black Bear

He stopped eating grass long enough to look up at me.

Black Bear

Other than the first couple days, the week was cloudy, cool, and wet. It showered non-stop one day towards the end of our week. It was nice because fewer people came into the park allowing us to drive around a little without getting stuck in "bear jams". We found this bear laying on a thick branch about 30-40 feet off the ground. I made several photos and video of this bear. You will see more of him in the next video.

Black Bear

This bear was difficult to spot at first. It was in a thick part of the forest and it decided to sleep on a log. Luck was on our side because it chose the only open area to lay down.

Black Bear

It did wake up and look around a few times but laid its head back down. After about 30 minutes, it woke up and walked away.

Black Bear

We found this bear high in a White Oak tree on a rainy day. It slept a lot and when awake, it was very active grooming itself. We hoped we would get good photos and video when it finally came down so we waited in the rain about five hours. It eventually came down and disappeared into the forest. It was still a great way to spend five hours.

Black Bear

This video contains clips of the three previous Black Bears you viewed.

Black Bears in Trees Black Bears in Trees

This is an example of a sow with yearlings. They are nearing 16 months old and, at that time, were about two months away from being set free on their own. This sow had three yearlings with her and they had a lot of cinnamon color in their coat. They didn't give great photo opportunities but I got a couple shots.

This is one of the yearlings.

Black Bear

This is another of that yearling.

Black Bear

This is the sow with her three yearlings in front of her. How awesome would it have been if they all looked at me at the same time? That is why we keep going back. Maybe next time I come across a sow with cubs or yearlings, they will give me a nice pose.

Black Bear

Our last day in the Smokies brought us some sun, clouds, rain, and a rare event that I will never forget. A large male Black Bear found a dead Wild Hog that was nearly as large as he was. He sat with the hog all day. Wild Hogs are a nuisance in the Smoky Mountains so they are culled by the Park Service or whomever they hire. I don't know the full story.

Anyway, I thought this would be a great opportunity to see some confrontations as other bear or Coyote try to steal a nibble. I sat on a hillside for nearly nine hours hoping to catch a once in a lifetime confrontation. It didn't really happen the way I would have scripted it but when was the last time wildlife ever followed a script.

I put this 5 minute video together showing the events of the day.

Black Bear with Wild Hog Black Bear with Wild Hog

That wraps up this photo essay on the Black Bears I found this year in the Great Smoky Mountains. I hope you enjoyed it. It's the next best thing to being there.

Until next time,

Dan

Cades Cove 2023, Nature and Wildlife

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Fri, 07 Jul 2023 00:32:19 GMT

In April 2023, I spent a week in the Great Smoky Mountains in Tennessee on a photography trip with friends. What a pleasure it is it wake up at 5AM and head to Cades Cove and not returning to the cabin until after the sun sets in the evening. Sure beats work!!! During these kind of trips, I enjoy landscape photography along with wildlife photography. This photo essay focuses on some of the scenic landscape of Cades Cove, some Black Bear, and mostly all other wildlife we encountered during the day. Of course, Black Bear is my favorite subject so I'm saving those stories, photos, and video for a separate essay.

The Carolina Wren is not an unfamiliar bird to me. We have them in Pennsylvania too. I was standing along a small creek next to a field when I saw these two and more flitting around anywhere from the ground to the treetops. They kept coming down to a specific log sticking up from the tall grass so I set my tripod at a low angle and waited. Eventually, my patience paid off.

Carolina Wren

I like to spend a lot of time off the roads in Cades Cove. Anyone who has been there know the people on the loop road can test your patience so I prefer to park, grab my backpack and gear, and head into the woods. Doing so allows me to find my subjects and photograph them away from all the hustle and bustle. One of the critters I found was this Eastern Gray Squirrel chomping on a nut.

Eastern Gray Squirrel

The grasslands along Hyatt Lane wake up every spring with singing grassland birds. One of the most recognizable songs comes from the Eastern Meadowlark.

Eastern Meadowlark

Who doesn't love our largest woodpecker, the Pileated Woodpecker. You probably know them best by their drumming that echoes through our forests but most of the time you'll find them on the ground or tearing apart a rotting stump.

Pileated Woodpeckerfemale

We saw this female in the same spot a couple days in a row.

Pileated Woodpeckerfemale

After photographing a Wild Turkey gobbler in this area, this doe and I crossed paths.

White-tailed Deer

There are a lot of Wild Turkey in Cades Cove. It's a lot of fun once you find a strutting gobbler. This image was made on an extremely foggy morning. Can you see a part of the mountains in the background?

Wild Turkey

Finding them in the fields is nice but I especially like the woodland photos.

Wild Turkey

When you see them in the sunlight, you notice their Coat of Many Colors. Yes, that was a Dolly Parton reference. Hey, it was in the smokies!

Wild Turkey

There are white domestic turkeys but the naturally occurring white turkeys are commonly called smoke-phase birds.

Wild Turkey

The gobbler up front is staying close to the lone hen in the back.

Wild Turkey

We're going to end this photo essay with a 10 minute video containing clips of landscape and wildlife (including some Black Bear) from Cades Cove.

Thanks for viewing and I hope you enjoyed this photo essay. If you would like more from this visit, please check out my other essay displaying the landscape of Cades Cove. Click the link to view "Cades Cove 2023, Scenic Splendor".

Coming soon: Cades Cove 2023: Black Bear

Cades Cove 2023, Scenic Splendor

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Tue, 04 Jul 2023 14:55:11 GMT

Visiting the Great Smoky Mountains in late April is a welcome jump into Spring for this Pennsylvanian. The leaves are 3-4 weeks ahead of us and usually the temperatures are 20 degrees higher. On this April 2023 trip, we were given cooler temperatures, cloudy skies, and many periods of rain. No worries though, we made the best of it.

From Cades Cove, there is a road called Rich Mountain Road that leads into Townsend. It is a one-way dirt road that winds up and down surrounding mountains with several switchbacks. This is one of the views down into Cades Cove. The church you can see in the photo is the Missionary Baptist Church which sits along the Cades Cove Loop Road across from the Rich Mountain Road entrance.

Cades Cove, GSMNPView from Rich Mountain road

Morning sunrises in Cades Cove are especially beautiful after a night of dampness when the fog settles in the valleys.

Cades Cove, GSMNP

Soon, the sun will burn off the fog and clear the view. But hopefully not too fast!

Cades Cove, GSMNP

Of all the time I've spent in Cades Cove over the last six years, I finally stopped for a photo of the Carter Shields cabin. There are always people streaming in and out but not on this dark morning.

Cades Cove, GSMNPCarter Shields cabin

This home was built in 1879 by Leason Gregg, the Gregg-Cable House was the first frame built house in Cades Cove. This, however, is not it's original location. It was originally located on Forge Creek Road, and Gregg operated a general store on the first floor. Becky Cable would later use the home as a boarding house. Following her death in 1940 at the age of 94, the house was moved to the Cable Mill area, where you can see it today next to the visitors center in Cades Cove.

So, it's not a rustic log cabin or anything really very interesting to look at. I'm telling you about it because it (at least the exterior) was used in the 1970 movie "A Walk In The Spring Rain" staring Ingrid Bergman, Anthony Quinn, and Fritz Weaver. It is a love story about a couple, the Merediths, who move to an isolated farm. Mrs. Meredith and their neighbor, Will Cade, become friends and anticipate becoming lovers. There are a lot of scenes shot in Cades Cove at locations which are still recognizable 53 years later.

Cades Cove, GSMNPGregg-Cable House

The Cable Grist Mill mill flume is located next to the Gregg-Cable House at the Cable Mill Complex.

Cades Cove, GSMNP

The Smoky Mountains are one of the largest rainforests in the world. On early mornings or rainy days, the millions of native plants and trees give off vapors causing the "smoky" appearance.

So, when in the Smokies... you need to photograph the "smoke"! Cades Cove, GSMNP

The mountains are shaping the clouds because they force the air to move over or around them.

Cades Cove, GSMNP

Many people would be sad if they went on vacation and were gifted clouds and rain. Not me!

Cades Cove, GSMNP

Another view from along the Cades Cove Loop Road.

Cades Cove, GSMNP

Over 1,500 Black Bear call the Smoky Mountains home and several can be found in Cades Cove. In fact, that is why many people go to Cades Cove. It's funny to me to see people photographing a Black Bear, 300 yards away, in a field with their cell phones and the bear turns out to be a small speck in the photo. They share it on social media claiming "I saw a Black Bear in Cades Cove".

This photo is the opposite. It is not a photo of a bear in the Smokies, it is a photo of the Smokies with a bear in it.

Cades Cove, GSMNP

The next six photos were made on a rainy morning while walking along Hyatt Lane in Cades Cove. Again, I couldn't resist the "smoke".

Cades Cove, GSMNP

After a day of off and on rain, the thick, dark clouds began to move away allowing the setting sun to shine down.

Cades Cove, GSMNP

That's a wrap on this photographic trip into the Cades Cove landscape. Look for my other two blogs created from photos, videos, and stories from this April trip to the Smokies. You'll get to see one solely on my Black Bear encounters including some once-in-a-lifetime video and the other is about other wildlife encounters and a wrap-up video you don't want to miss.

Thanks for looking,

Dan

Woody Woodpecker Starts A Family

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Sat, 03 Jun 2023 01:59:03 GMT

Cartoonist Walter Lantz used our largest woodpecker, the Pileated Woodpecker, as a model for his most famous creation, Woody Woodpecker. In real life, the Pileated Woodpecker can be seen and heard throughout our Pennsylvania forests.

I've photographed Pileated Woodpeckers several times over the years but I never found a nest cavity to photograph. I didn't really find this one either but I did visit it twice in May and captured video of the adults feeding the chicks. I put some of my clips together to share with you. I hope you enjoy!

Pileated Woodpecker Nest Pileated Woodpecker Nest

Thank you for viewing,

Dan

An Early Evening Encounter With Short-eared Owls

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Wed, 08 Mar 2023 00:20:36 GMT

On February 25, Elena and I spent a great day at MK Goddard and Pymatuning State Parks. On our way home we passed through an area that, up until two years ago, was a great place to photograph Short-eared Owls.

Short-eared Owls are merely visitors during our Western Pennsylvania winter months. If you search my blogs for "Short-eared Owl", you will find a couple blogs I wrote about them. I even had an article published in Pennsylvania Magazine a few years ago.

We arrived at 5:05 PM and was surprised to find two "shorties" already flying around. Why were we surprised? Normally, they don't hit the fields to hunt until right before dusk. On this day, we had them for almost an hour before sunset.

That's enough from me... I'll let this 6 minute video tell the story!

Short-eared Owl Short-eared Owl

My Experiences During The White-tailed Deer Rut 2022

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Mon, 02 Jan 2023 22:51:44 GMT

Deer are part of the family Cervidae. The two main groups of deer are the Cervinae and Capreolinae. In Pennsylvania, we have representatives in both groups. Cervinae includes Elk and the Capreolinae, includes the White-tailed Deer. Capreolinae includes the moose and while we don't have moose in Pennsylvania, it isn't a very far drive north to find one. What's my point of telling you all of that? If you follow the Cervidae family of mammals, you will see this head position a lot. Typically, they are sniffing or tasting the air to detect something. In this case, he was curious about me. Was I friend or foe!

White-tailed Deer

This photo was shot from the cover of my SUV. I was driving home from Venango County after an unsuccessful Bobcat hunt and I saw two bucks grazing in a field. I quickly pulled over and even though it was almost too dark to make a photo, I did it anyway.

White-tailed Deer

This is the second buck of the two mentioned above.

White-tailed Deer

It was September 3rd when I saw my first velvet-free buck of the season. He was backlit by the setting sun in a field of Goldenrod presenting a difficult exposure but I managed to bring out the details while preventing a silhouette.

White-tailed Deer

After I finish photographing the Elk rut I focus my attention to White-tailed Deer. I usually begin to see activity in late October. These two young bucks weren't pushing very hard. It was just a little sparring to kick off the rutting season.

White-tailed Deer

It's a good thing the grasses aren't too thick.

White-tailed Deer

I saw this doe while driving in one of my favorite spots. I stopped the vehicle to watch her for awhile. When I find a lone doe during the rut, it's likely a buck is hidden somewhere nearby.

White-tailed Deer

I only waited a few minutes before I saw movement on a downslope of a bank. I saw it was a nice buck but the woods was very thick and I had to wait until he presented himself. This view was brief.

White-tailed Deer

Bucks lick branches to deposit their scent to let other bucks, and doe, aware of their presence.

White-tailed Deer

Here we go again! The head position I mentioned at the beginning of this blog. This is known to most people as a "Lip Curl". The real name is "Flehman Response". I've talked about this in previous blog posts so I'm going to be brief here. Here is a concise description I found on the internet. "What is happening is the deer is transferring air containing pheromones and other scents to the vomeronasal organ (VNO), an olfactory-chemosensory organ located between the roof of the mouth and the palate, animals can gather chemical "messages"."

White-tailed Deer

From a distance, sometimes a buck's rack doesn't look as big as it really is but then I see them up close through my camera lens. Then I'm pretty happy to see this.

White-tailed Deer

I found this smaller, 8-point buck prancing through the woods.

White-tailed Deer

I mentioned earlier that if I see a lone doe, I'll stop to watch her because a buck might be nearby. A total of five doe entered a field I was set up in and they were wandering through grazing on vegetation. They were grazing from one end of the field to the other when...

White-tailed Deer

this guy came out of the woods. This is another rutting behavior known to many as "bird dogging". The buck will be running with its nose straight to the ground following a doe. Notice his tongue? He is licking his nose to help gather scents over his oflactory sensors.

White-tailed Deer

Sometimes I'm set up to watch open areas but the deer go where they want.

White-tailed Deer

This was one of the best days I had during the 2022 rut. It was a cold morning, deep into the rut, when I came upon two nice bucks (8-point and 10-point) trailing a couple doe. None of them were moving much. The does fed on leaves and ground vegetation while the bucks stood like statues guarding their potential mate.

The deer and I were located on the shady side of a large hill when the 10-point stepped into the early morning sun wrapping around the hillside. The vapors created by his heavy breathing shot out of his nostrils with each breath. The low, morning sunshine lit it up allowing me to create this amazing image. I also shot video that you will be able to watch later in the blog.

White-tailed Deer

Here is another view of the previous buck while he stood in the shadow of the hillside.

White-tailed Deer

Although not as dramatic, you can see the vapors in this image as well.

White-tailed Deer

Eventually, the two bucks paths converged in the pines. I was waiting, actually hoping, for a dominance fight. Instead, the 8-point began biting at the neck of the 10-point. The larger of the two seemed annoyed.

White-tailed Deer

I did not know what was going to happen and since fight photos seldom show the strength of the animals, I decided to switch to video. This video contains the vapors and the bucks in the pines encounter.

White-tailed Deer White-tailed Deer

These two images were made from frames in the video. Although they weren't pushing hard, you can see how dangerous the antlers are.

After the heated exchange, the two bucks split up and focused on the doe again.

White-tailed Deer

He's munching on some of the last green vegetation on the forest floor.

White-tailed Deer

Here is one last photo before all the deer walked up the hill and out of sight.

White-tailed Deer

Within a week of the last series of photos we had a day of snow squalls. After seeing a couple inches accumulate I decided to head out after work. Because I didn't have a lot of time before darkness fell, Elena and I stayed fairly local and "hunted" from the vehicle. I happened to see two doe laying down during a snow squall. This one was the easiest to see.

White-tailed Deer

It's been a few years since I found a buck this wide.

White-tailed Deer

Of course, I probably wouldn't have these photos of him if he weren't on the scent of a doe. While walking one way...

White-tailed Deer

he suddenly stopped and shifted his attention in the other direction.

White-tailed Deer

Here is a closeup of another buck with snow accumulating on his body and antlers.

White-tailed Deer

Here is a video I put together of the "snow day" deer.

White-tailed Deer White-tailed Deer

Another White-tailed Deer rut season is in the books. I hope you enjoyed the photos, videos, and my commentary about each photo.

Thanks for looking,

Dan

My Experiences During The Pennsylvania Elk Rut 2022

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Thu, 15 Dec 2022 21:30:00 GMT

The elk mating season, known as "the rut", begins in September each year. Normally, I make a few day trips and one or two overnight trips to Benezette to photograph the elk. This year I didn't get up there as often as I would have liked.

Each year it is getting harder and harder to find elk in the same places we found them in previous years. I do not have a real solid reason as to why. A lot of speculation is in the air though. One place that has been very reliable is the Elk Country Visitors Center so Elena and I did spend one evening there.

The elk are really spreading out. I've seen photos of nice bulls and rut action in areas 45 minutes or more from Benezette.

I was stubborn this year. I stayed in the Benezette area hoping to have a breakthrough but that didn't really work out for me. Next year, if signs indicate the elk are once again in those other places, I will be there also.

In the meantime, I hope you enjoy the images made this year in Benezette, PA.

PA Elk (Sep, 2022)

While I do try for images of the perfect pose in perfect light, I enjoy capturing photos and video of wildlife behavior too. This is classic rut behavior of a bull elk flicking his tongue. Many people I encounter in "busy" Benezette don't fully understand rut behavior. I hear giggles when a bull follows a cow while flicking his tongue. Facebook posts of bull elk sticking their tongue out will always encourage comments like "He's sticking his tongue out at you". I'll tell you now that isn't the case. Tongue flicking is part of a bull elk's behavior during the rut as he tests a cow to see if she is ready to mate. If she's not ready, she'll lower her head and swing it side to side as she walks away. If she is ready... she just stands there and, well, you know! More giggles!

PA Elk (Sep, 2022)

This photo shows the difference in size between a bull elk and a cow elk. According to the Pennsylvania Game Commission's biologist Wildlife Notes, there is a huge size difference between males and females. They say, "a mature male elk, called a bull, stands 50 to 60 inches at the shoulder and weighs 600 to 1,000 pounds. Females, or cows, weigh 500 to 600 pounds."

PA Elk (Sep, 2022)

I've said it before and I'll say it again, I don't like photographing wildlife in bright sun. When there is no other choice, I make the best of it. This bull was displaying between two herds of cows providing a lot of opportunity for photos. But oh that sun!

PA Elk (Sep, 2022)

Sunset is a time when a clear sky creates dramatic lighting. He was standing on a ridge watching over a small haram of cows.

PA Elk (Sep, 2022)

On another evening in Benezette, Elena and I were watching a few bulls and some cows in a valley where the setting sun disappeared behind the surrounding mountains long before actual sunset.

This bull is performing the flehman response while displaying a headpiece he gathered while performing another rut behavior. Bulls scrap the ground with their feet, rake the ground with their antlers, urinate on themselves and the ground, then lie down and wallow in it. All to attract females. Sometimes raking the ground picks up vegetation which is also thought to be a way to assert their dominance to both males and females.

The flehman response is when an elk curls his upper lip to expose their vomeronasal organ (located in their palate) that is used to detect estrus in cow urine. In turn, it lets the bulls know when it’s time to go courting.

PA Elk (Sep, 2022)

Awesome Benezette bull standing in a field of fall wildflowers.

PA Elk (Sep, 2022)

This bull is not in the middle of a bugle. Bulls tend to get exhausted during the rut and he's showing it with this big yawn. I think he made me yawn when I was watching him!
PA Elk (Sep, 2022)

Their winter coats are growing in and the calves lost their spots but that doesn't stop a mom from being a mom.

PA Elk (Sep, 2022)

Here's another photo of a cow and her calf.

PA Elk (Sep, 2022)

Here's a short video displaying some of the rut behavior I explained earlier. You will also get to see mom caring for her calf as pictured above.

American Elk American Elk

That's all I have to share from the 2022 elk rut. I hope you enjoyed it.

Thanks for looking,

Dan

Great Smoky Mountains 2022

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Sat, 16 Jul 2022 03:43:00 GMT

This past June Elena and I celebrated our 25th Wedding Anniversary. Elena wanted to take a trip somewhere so she made her list, checked it twice, and picked The Great Smoky Mountains. Of course, I wasn't going to disagree with that choice.

We rented a cabin in Townsend, TN and had a great 5 days in the mountains during the first week of May. I put together this video of video clips and most of my photos of the various wildlife and scenery we saw.

I hope you enjoy the sights and sounds.

Thanks for watching,

Dan

Sometimes, I Like To Shoot Video

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Thu, 23 Jun 2022 01:35:47 GMT

Here's something a little different for you. Other than a short description, I decided to present a few of my early 2022 wildlife encounters with video. I still make a lot of photos and although I'm not an expert videographer, I'm developing an interest in wildlife and nature video too. It'll take you about 25 minutes to view this entire post so I hope you have time and enjoy.

In early March, some holes began to open in the ice on Lake Wilhelm at MK Goddard State Park attracting gulls and eagles looking for fish (dead or alive). It is one of the enjoyable activities to watch after a long winter. The following video is a collection of clips made one evening in early March.

Bald Eagle Bald Eagle

Also in March, Elena and I were driving down a dirt road along a creek one afternoon looking for Screech Owls, I saw something orange colored in a distant dead stump. I was hoping for a red morph Eastern Screech Owl. As we got closer, I realized it was a Red Squirrel chewing on a bone.

Red Squirrel Red Squirrel

Great Blue Herons nest together in large colony's known as a rookery. I've written blogs about their nesting habits in past blogs so I'll skip the details here. If you follow my blogs, you also know that Great Horned Owls are the first birds to nest in the new year in Pennsylvania. The Great Horned Owl doesn't build it's own nest. They uses cavities in trees or simply hijacks a nest built by another large bird such as hawks and even herons.

This year, we had that happen in a local rookery. Although the Great Horned Owl is a predator to the Great Blue Heron, they had to live together for about six weeks until the owlets were large enough to fledge. I photographed this living arrangement in 2013 too, at this very same rookery.

Below is a video collection of events captured from March through May at this year's Great Blue Heron rookery.

Great Blue Heron Great Blue Heron

One of my favorite springtime activities is photographing the pups at a Red Fox den. Red Fox dens can turn up just about anywhere so I rely on people who know me, to contact me if they see one. I'll visit the dens and set up inside a photo blind while the fox kits are asleep in the den and wait for them to come out.

This April, with permission of landowners, I was lucky to be able to photograph and video two Red Fox dens.

One den was on a mound about 15 yards inside a woods line. I didn't witness a lot of playtime that Red Fox kits are known for because their favorite play area was on the opposite side of the mound. I did get some really nice photos and video from two evenings there.

I spent one evening at a second area that wasn't an actual den. The den was several yards away from large, round hay bales that attracted the kits.

This video is a collection of clips while I watched those dens. Enjoy!

Red Fox Red Fox

I hope you enjoyed these videos.

Dan

For the Love of Whitetails

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Thu, 16 Dec 2021 23:22:15 GMT

We reached that time of the year again when I reflect back on many of my White-tailed Deer encounters from spring fawns to the fall mating season. I hope you enjoy the photos.

This first photo is the only photo in this blog made outside of Pennsylvania. I have several photos of doe but I really liked the background of this White-tailed Deer in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

White-tailed Deer

A little different view of a couple fawns going in to nurse from their momma.

White-tailed Deer

Mid-Summer evenings are a good time to check on the antler growth of this year's big bucks.

White-tailed Deer

White-tailed Deer fawns are at the top of my list of favorite wildlife babies.

White-tailed Deer

This evening was the last time I ever saw this August buck. I wish I could have photographed him after his antlers stopped growing and the velvet was shed.

White-tailed Deer

The remaining photos were made during the rut. I began actively photographing the rut in mid-October and stopped in late November. I found this guy on my first day.

White-tailed Deer

I may carry a Canon instead of a gun but to photograph the rut, sometimes I need to possess the same skills as a hunter. I was actually hidden fairly well while watching a spike buck and a couple doe when out of nowhere this 10-point buck exploded onto the scene and chased one of the doe.

White-tailed Deer

It was near darkness when I saw this buck. I was driving and happened to see him off the road about 50 yards. He stood still for the longest time and kept staring into this thicket. My guess is a doe was in there but she never showed herself in the 15 minutes that I watched.

White-tailed Deer

This 10-point was standing on a ridge with an open field behind him so it was a perfect setting for a silhouette. Normally, he would turn and run but lucky for me he was guarding a receptive doe in the valley below him.

White-tailed Deer

This is the same buck as the last photo but from the other side. He was still locked down on the doe feeding over the bank in front of him. White-tailed Deer

This buck exited the woods and walked cautiously into a clearing.

White-tailed Deer

Testosterone is like a shot of steroids for a buck whose neck can double in size well before the rut even begins.

White-tailed Deer

This is the same buck as the last photo just after entering some thicker woods.

White-tailed Deer

A buck could stay tight to his receptive doe for 24-48 hours or longer, breeding her regularly.

White-tailed Deer

There was a buck on a doe in the woods intersected by a powerline clearing. I followed on the powerline but stayed behind them hoping they would cross at some point. Eventually the doe began to run across the opening and up the wooded hillside. A minute later the buck walked out into the opening.

When a deer becomes alert, it will stop and stomp its foot on the ground. The proper term for this action is to stamp its foot. Boys and girls both do it. They curl up their leg and forcefully slam their hoof on the ground. They typically stand there and do it several times until it identifies the unknown source of danger.

My buck stamped about three times before following the doe.

White-tailed Deer

As I walked the powerline back to my vehicle, I passed a large opening on my right that had a lot of high grass, Multiflora Rose, and other shrubby vegetation. There were about five doe standing in this opening and browsing around for food. A couple of the doe, like the one in the photo below, looked like they could be one of this year's fawns but the white spots have faded into the growth of their winter coat. I was slowly walking past them when this nice buck came out of the woods and took command of the clearing. With his head down, he sniffed the path of each doe and I assume none were in heat because he kept moving through the other side of the clearing and disappeared into the woods.

White-tailed Deer

Bucks can find out a lot by licking and smelling branches. It's how they communicate with each other. What females or rival males have been there first? After tasting they will rub their own pre-orbital gland to let the next buck know that he's been there. It's the whitetail's very own dating website.

White-tailed Deer

This guy had a little limp but it didn't look like a serious injury.

White-tailed Deer

I made this photo on the last day I went out to photograph rut activity. He's not the biggest buck I've seen this year but I liked the golden backlighting of the setting November Sun.

White-tailed Deer

I hope you enjoyed reliving my White-tailed Deer experiences. I know it can't replace actually being there but I hope my photos and text take you away for a minute.

Thanks for looking,

Dan

Owl Encounters of Early 2021

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Wed, 17 Nov 2021 01:39:37 GMT

Throughout my childhood I was always interested in wildlife and trying to photograph them. When I was about 8 years old, I began to tote around my first camera, a 110 Instamatic. Later, I had a Polaroid and a Super 8 Movie Camera. I remember my mom telling me, "Now don't break it"! I took photos of every animal I could sneak up on. I didn't know back then what I know now about wildlife photography techniques. My opportunities back then were all luck and no skill.

My father and I used to take evening drives into the country. He worked on the railroad and was out of town a lot so when he was home, we disappeared in the evening for a few hours. Mom thought we were crazy. She just didn't understand! One evening, as we drove the rut filled country roads through the farms and forest of Jefferson County in Pennsylvania, we saw two large objects sitting on a limb hovering high over the road. As we got closer we made out two full grown Barn Owls sitting side-by-side. It was amazing. My first ever owl. In those days, I didn't even dream about seeing an owl. I thought nobody sees owls except zookeepers and National Geographic photographers.

Years have passed and owl sightings were still few and far between. Heck, even when you are looking for them they are scarce. Once I learned the habitat of various species of owls, they can be found a little easier. In this photo essay, I'd like to share some owl photos I made during the winter and spring of 2021 right here in Western Pennsylvania and Ohio.

These first two photos are Eastern Screech Owls. The one on the left is a red morph and the one of the right is a gray morph. The gray variation is more common than the red in the eastern United States. Although they look large in these photos, they are only 6-9 inches long.

Eastern Screech Owl Eastern Screech Owl

The Great Horned Owl is the most common owl in the United States. They are a fierce predator that can take down animals larger than they are. They are night hunters but you can find them roosting during the day in evergreens such as the Eastern Hemlock.

Great Horned Owl

This is a Great Horned Owl owlet peeking out of its nest. They grow fast but this one is still a few weeks from fledging.

Here are two Great Horned Owl owlets perched above their nest from which they are nearly ready to fledge.

Until April 2021, the Long-eared Owl has eluded me. On a visit to Ottawa County Ohio, I was finally able to photograph not one, but two Long-eared Owls. They were hidden in a dense row of wild shrubs along a canal. I can't take credit for finding them. Well, I kinda can. There were a few birders and photographers watching one of the owls when I arrived. They told me they were watching a Long-eared Owl so I parked and set up my gear. As we watched, they told me there were two there yesterday but one must have left. I searched up and down the canal for nearly an hour and finally spotted the second owl.

Long-eared Owl Long-eared Owl

The Snowy Owl is an owl all birders and avian photographers wish to see during the winter. Sometimes we see them in large numbers (called an irruption) and sometimes we are lucky to find only a couple. Irruptions in the lower 48 are caused by a lack of food in their breeding grounds up north. By the time they reach Pennsylvania, they are starving and need to be left alone to find food. Because of their apparent lack of fear of humans, people tend to get too close and put the birds in danger. When I'm lucky enough to find one, my camera gear allows me to stay very far away and still make a good photograph.

This Snowy Owl was sitting on the frozen, snow covered Pymatuning Lake.

Snowy Owl

Every once in a while, she would take off, fly a couple wide circles, and land in nearly the same spot on the ice.

Snowy Owl

The last owl I want to share with you is the Short-eared Owl. While they breed in Canada and Alaska and spend winters in the United States and the northern half of Mexico, there is a band across America where they may be seen all year. We look for them mainly in the winter and begin to lose them in March and April. They usually begin to fly and hunt the fields minutes before sunset, leaving very little time with light for photography.

Short-eared Owl

In the dead of winter, they sometimes make an earlier appearance in good light.

Short-eared Owl

They fly in circles close to the ground while searching the fields for voles. When they spot something to eat, they drop to the ground fast to catch it.

Short-eared Owl

I caught this Short-eared Owl dropping into the snowy field.

Short-eared Owl

The owl sat on the ground for a long time and lowered it's body when other owls flew by.

Short-eared Owl

It's actions were a good indication it had caught something. I had my lens focused on it as it took off with its catch.

Short-eared Owl

Short-eared Owls in flight are very difficult to track. I try to keep my lens on them and in focus because I never know when two or more owls will meet mid-air and fight. This image isn't exactly as shot. The upper owl was higher in the frame creating a lot of empty space in the center of the image. To make it more appealing to the eye, I moved the upper owl down to tighten up the space in between. As long as it's not being sold or entered in a contest, artistic freedom is OK.

Short-eared Owl

Here is another image of a dive for food.

Short-eared Owl

He stuck the landing during a snow squall.

Short-eared Owl

Here are a couple flying photos.

Short-eared Owl

I wrote a photo essay about the Short-eared Owl in March 2017. It was also published in Pennsylvania Magazine. You can view the original photo essay, "Floppy Wingbeats of the Short-eared Owl", by clicking the link.

Thank you once again for viewing my photo essay. I hope you enjoyed it.

Dan

Pennsylvania Magazine - Meet the Missus

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Fri, 12 Nov 2021 01:01:54 GMT

Over the last five years I've had several photos and four or five articles published in Pennsylvania Magazine. Earlier this year, I wrote a follow up to a couple popular photo essays on this website which are called "Meet the Mrs". The new article, "Meet the Missus" and the similar photo essays on this website, discuss the plumage differences between males and females of some of our Pennsylvania birds.

My photo of a male and female Eastern Towhee was selected for the cover of the May/June 2021 issue and the article, "Meet the Missus", was presented on pages 32 through 37 of the same issue.

I decided to use the proof pages sent to me by the editor to create this photo essay. There were a couple minor changes made between this proof and the final copy but nothing significant.

If you didn't see the magazine, you can see my article here. Enjoy!

Thanks for looking,

Dan

2021 Elk Pre-Rut and Rut Encounters

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Sun, 24 Oct 2021 23:44:41 GMT

Once our calendar rolls into August I begin to think about the upcoming elk rut in north central PA. At that time of year, you may notice that several of the elk are losing their velvet that covered their antlers since they began to grow in the spring. Once the velvet stops growing, the velvet will begin to dry up and crack and the elk will start to rub it off using branches and tree trunks. The antlers will harden completely in time for the breeding season.

In mid-August, Elena and I usually make a trip to the mountains around Benezette to look for male bachelor groups. I always hope to capture an elk in the middle of the short period it takes to rub their velvet off revealing the blood stained white bone.

Not long after arriving on this day, we found three bull elk laying in an opening of the forest. This one has not begun to shed his velvet yet.

PA Elk (Aug, 2021)

On this day, Elena and I took our two Shelties along for the ride and because of them, we got to photograph a large male Black Bear. Here's the story:

About 7:30 PM, we stopped at the "Cross on the Hill" along Mt. Zion Road to admire the scenery and let the dogs stretch their legs. After spending about 15 minutes, the pups were panting so we made the short walk back to the SUV to give them a drink. Once we got there, I told Elena that while she prepared their water dish, I would run them around the mowed grassy area on the hillside to give them exercise. I got to the top of the hill, looked at the cross, and there was a large Black Bear standing at the cross. Would've been nice to have a camera in hand! I ran back to the car, grabbed my camera, and went back up the hill. He was walking along the woods not paying any attention to me. If we would have stayed at the cross two minutes longer, he would have walked right up on us. Next, we got into the SUV and drove up the road a couple hundred yards hoping to see him again. There is a house about 200 yards up the road and the bear was under an apple tree eating apples.

Black BearMale in Benezette

He looks like an old boy with a lot of battle scars.

Black BearMale in Benezette

After about 10 minutes, the bear stared at the tree and had an idea. He climbed the tree. Once at the top, he began to shake the tree making several apples fall to the ground.

He climbed back down and ate more apples before walking back into the woods.

If it weren't for our two Shelties, we may not have been in the area and would have missed the bear. Plus, if they didn't need a drink, the bear would have walked right up on us and probably turned and ran, again, missing a photo opportunity.

Maybe we should take them on our adventures more often!

Black BearMale in Benezette

After our encounter with the Black Bear, we continued to look for elk. We finally found a large bachelor group that were feeding in a field about 50 yards away and blocked by several trees and shrubs in between. We parked our SUV and waited until a couple of them came toward the road where they found an apple tree growing near somebody's camp.

You can see the velvet beginning to split and fall off his antler.

PA Elk (Aug, 2021)

This bull had a really nice rack. Hopefully we will see him again in the action of the rut.

PA Elk (Aug, 2021)

This bull was nearly rubbed clean with the exception of the velvet hanging on at the burr. If they can reach it, the male elk will eat their own velvet as it is rich in protein.

PA Elk (Aug, 2021)

Not to be confused with a fight for dominance, sparring is a way for bulls to test their strength against peers in a casual setting.

PA Elk (Aug, 2021)

Down along the woods line, there was a bull elk polishing his antlers on an Eastern White Pine. During the rut, you may see bull elk with dark antlers and white tips. Elk rub small trees and bushes and the sap turns their antlers various shades of brown. The sap from pine trees is believed to cause the darkest stain.

It was darker outside than it looks in the video. You can hear noises of the evening woodlands and even a whinny of an Eastern Screech Owl twice. Click on the video to begin.
American Elk American Elk

We got one more look at a different bull before it got too dark to photograph.

PA Elk (Aug, 2021)

The calendar flipped a month into September and photographing the Elk rut was not looking good for me. High heat in the first half of September and then a busy work schedule the third week of September kept me at home. This was turning out to be an off year, the elk just weren't around Benezette unless you went to the Visitors Center, and I couldn't make time to explore other locations.

On Tuesday, September 28th, Elena and I finally got to spend a day in Elk County. After scouting the normal hot spots in the Benezette area and not seeing any elk, we ended up at the Visitor's Center where we saw two bulls and about 15 cows. After the bigger bull chased the smaller bull out of the field, I photographed him looking into the setting sun.

PA Elk (Sep, 2021)

During the second week of October we finally got to do an overnight trip to Elk County. Although the heart of the rut is over and the opportunity to photograph a fight for dominance has most likely diminished, we hoped we would still see some herding of cows and hear some bugling. On the afternoon we arrived, we found a large herd of 27 cow and calves and two bulls. The biggest bull, pictured below, kept the smaller satellite bull at bay most of the night.

PA Elk (Oct, 2021)

He walked around his herd looking for females in heat. He sniffed them as he walked past and sniffed the ground where they had laid. He also licked and sniffed her hind quarters as he followed. I have written about their mating behaviors more extensively in previous elk related blogs so I won't go into detail here. Bottom line, they are all ways to determine if the cow is ready to be bred.

PA Elk (Oct, 2021)

When his attempts to get close to a cow were rejected, he stopped pursuit and bugled.

PA Elk (Oct, 2021)

While the bull runs around the field chasing cows, the rest of the herd continues to eat. Here is one of this year's calves as it looked toward me.

PA Elk (Oct, 2021)

It was getting dark when our dominant bull found a cow that was in estrus and followed her closely for about 20 minutes.

PA Elk (Oct, 2021)

In those 20 minutes, he attempted to mount her several times. She was receptive but he would slide off her back and she would walk away. PA Elk (Oct, 2021)

Finally, he was able to complete the act. I don't know if you've ever seen it in person but it happens quickly. When it ends with the bull jumping off the ground, you know he completed the act.

PA Elk (Oct, 2021)

The next morning, Elena and I went to the same location we were at the previous evening. It was 7:00 and it was light enough to see the shapes of the elk in the field. As soon as I got my gear assembled, the elk disappeared into the woods. They headed toward the Bennett Branch of Sinnemahoning Creek so we went there to watch for them to cross. They traveled too far downstream so we didn't see them cross.

During the day, we had a great time exploring the back country where the elk are wild. Saw a nice herd of three bulls and several cows and calves. Of course, they hustled into the dark forest for safety.

I did manage a photo of this cow eating the fruit of some bushes growing near the road.

PA Elk (Oct, 2021)

Our plan for the evening was to first check out the creek because if they did cross in the morning, they would have to cross back to get to the food plot. It was 4:15 in the afternoon so we thought we'd have a good hour to wait for the elk to arrive, we were surprised to find a large herd already standing in Bennett Branch. In the following photo, the dominant bull is pushing the last two of 27 cows and calves into the water.

PA Elk (Oct, 2021)

They stood in the water about 20 minutes after we arrived. Here is a cow Elk and her calf during the crossing.

PA Elk (Oct, 2021)

This is the younger and smaller satellite bull that travels with the herd. The dominant bull has been very protective of his haram and does not allow him to join.

PA Elk (Oct, 2021)

After about 20 minutes the bull continued to move them out of the stream and into the field and food plots.

PA Elk (Oct, 2021)

Once in the food plot, nourishment was the main objective of the cows and calves. As for the bull, it was status quo. No wonder they lose so much weight and sleep during the rut.

PA Elk (Oct, 2021)

That's it for our late 2021 Elk County adventures. I hope you enjoyed the experiences I shared.

Until next time,

Dan

Great Smoky Mountains: My Cades Cove Experience (2021) - Part Three

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Thu, 24 Jun 2021 21:39:44 GMT

Thank you for returning for part three of this three part series of My Cades Cove Experience. If you missed part one or part two, I suggest you catch up before reading this one. Click the links below to get caught up.

My Cades Cove Experience Part One

My Cades Cove Experience Part Two

Thursday, April 29, 2021

Thursday morning the four of us hiked back to the area we previously saw a sow with four cubs. She hasn't been at this location for a couple days so we thought we'd take a chance. Also, this was Luke's last day and he was only staying in Cades Cove until noon so we were hoping for some good activity early.

Luckily, we did find some other photographers that found the bear family we hoped for. Demonstrating the similarities of all the bear families we found this week, she and her cubs were laying behind a large tree in a dense area of the woods. You could not see her or the cubs from where we had to stand. We just hoped she would go to the green meadow when she became active.

We waited quite awhile for her to stir. Finally, she walked out of the thicket, down the hill, and stood by a tree near the meadow.

Black Bear

The four cubs, not quite as fast as mom, followed her.

Black Bear

Once again, I think chewing on broken limbs is the number one national pastime of Black Bear cubs.

Black Bear

It's difficult to climb a tree when someone is behind you tugging on your foot.

Black Bear

As the cubs played, mom roamed through the meadow eating grass. Occasionally, she looked up to check on them. If she couldn't see one, she quickly moved toward them to make sure they were ok.

Black Bear

While three cubs continued to play, one cub climbed up a tree, sat on a branch, tangled its legs in other branches, and fell asleep.

Black Bear

Before she took the cubs and headed back into the woods, I captured this short video.

Black Bear Black Bear
Another day was in the books. The bright sun and high heat were affecting our success. The bears were becoming less active and more difficult to find.

Friday, April 30, 2021

We had some rain overnight so I was looking forward to getting into Cades Cove this morning. Capturing landscape images to showcase the fog was on my mind. A slight breeze and the rising sun can cause quick change in the weather conditions. I was slow to react to a few opportunities that would have made great photos but still ended up with a couple good ones.

The next three images were made this morning along Sparks Lane. I managed to catch a little of the "smoke" rising from behind the tree line and a thin line of ground fog that was evaporating quickly.

Cades Cove, GSMNP

After making the last image, I looked to my right and saw this scene. The ground fog burned off very quickly and the glow of the rising sun added vibrance to the background making it look like an October scene instead of April.

Cades Cove, GSMNP

Here is a shot directly down Sparks Lane.

Within minutes, the sun was above the distant mountains. I looked back to the left and made this image. At first, I didn't think I was going to like it because of the extreme differences in brightness. After post-processing, it is one of my favorites and will probably end up being a large, glossy, metal print on our wall soon.

I'd like to say our last day there was a fantastic photography day but it wasn't. The sun was so bright, making everything shiny, it took the wind out of our sails when compared to the first few days.

I made this one last Black Bear photo before leaving the park around noon. Tom and I had one more stop in mind and then we'd wrap up this trip.

Black Bear

Laurel Creek runs along the Laurel Creek Road, the only paved access into Cades Cove. There is one spot with a nice cascade and we passed it every day. On the way back to Townsend, Tom and I spent about 45 minutes making images there.

It was only mid-afternoon but we decided to call it quits. Like I mentioned before, the weather wasn't on our side and it would be hard to beat the experiences we had during the week.

On our first day in Tennessee, a guy we met in passing told us to try the food at Smokin' Joe's BBQ in Townsend. So, for our last night in the smokies, Jake, Tom, and I decided to try it out. The food was pretty good but the Black Raspberry Cobbler hit the spot.

Saturday, May 1, 2021
The day has arrived to drive back home. It was a great week and I accomplished more than I imagined.

If you made it all the way to the end of this journey, thank you. I appreciate your interest.

Until next time,

Dan

Great Smoky Mountains: My Cades Cove Experience (2021) - Part Two

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Wed, 23 Jun 2021 22:35:53 GMT

Thank you for returning for part two of this three part series of My Cades Cove Experience. If you missed part one, I suggest you read My Cades Cove Experience Part One before continuing.

Tuesday, April 27, 2021

Tuesday morning the sun rose in a cloudless sky and we could feel the heat building. Tom and I decided to head back into the valley we were in the previous evening to look for the sow with four cubs from last night. I dropped Tom off about 1/4 mile away from where I was entering the forest. He was going to take a different route into the valley and we would meet up where we were the night before.

I reached the meadow in the valley and didn't see Tom. Not long afterwards, he called to me to come his way. He found the sow and four cubs. They were laying down behind a log halfway up the next mountainside and appeared to have bedded there all night. There were a few other photographers there as well.

As the sow began to stir, she rested her head on the log.

Black Bear

The cubs were active but stayed out of site. Finally, a cub that was snuggled up against mom decided to come out. Black Bear

It wasn't long after we got there the sow got up and began to walk down the hill to the same place we saw her last night. She fed on leaves and grasses along the way.

Black Bear

That's when the cubs decided they should follow mom and began to show themselves. I was hoping mom would have stayed on the hill longer because the logs would have made a great playground to photograph the cubs.

Black Bear
Two of her cubs were staying close as they meandered down the hill.

Black Bear

Once they got to the bottom of the hill, mom ended up in the same cluttered spot as the night before. Meanwhile, the cubs played in the trees. Black Bear

One thing I learned about bear cubs is they are chewers. I think any broken limb in their path is an attention getter.

Black Bear

Low and behold, the sow ventured into an open meadow between the hillside and the dry creek bed. At least I got a clean look at her before she continued into more brambles. Black Bear

She eventually called her cubs and all five disappeared into a wall of greenery. We waited for a while but gave up on seeing them again this morning. Besides, the sun was high and hot. Time to get out of the woods.

We made it back to the vehicle and then we saw our first "Bear Jam". A bear jam is created when there is a bear in view from the road and everyone stops to take photos or they just sit there, in the middle of the road, and hold up traffic. People are not supposed to stop in the middle of the road and hold up traffic but, let's face it, a lot of people don't care about the people behind them. I get it, most people don't get to see wildlife as often as a wildlife photographer does. It is still frustrating to be sitting when we should be moving. Tom said I taught him some new words that week. He was kidding of course. He already knew them all.

Anyway, Cades Cove is a free destination. You do not need to have a park pass to enter so there are usually a lot of people on the roads and exploring historical attractions. Bear Jams are to be expected so that is why I like to spend most of my time in the woods, away from everyone.

The Bear Jam in the previous photo was caused by this bear. She was a mom of four and the whole family was laying behind a fallen tree about 50 yards off Hyatt Lane/Cades Cove Loop Road. It was nearly lunchtime and we were going to go back to Townsend to get out of the heat and eat lunch when we passed this bear.

Tom and I get a long very well on the trips we take. I think this is the first time ever that I wanted to do one thing and he wanted to do another. I wanted to stop and watch this bear for a while and he reluctantly agreed. I'll tell you right now I should have listened to him. Jake and Luke showed up and we sat along Hyatt Lane for about five hours with only light snacks to eat and because we planned to go to town for lunch, we didn't have much to drink either. After sitting and sweating under umbrellas the entire afternoon, the bears moved. Thank you, I thought. This finally payed off. Nope, the whole family headed up into the woods and the possible photographic opportunity was gone.

Black Bear

While we were all facing toward the bear during our five hour standoff, this was the scene behind us. There is beauty in all directions in the smokies.

Cades Cove, GSMNP

We all had enough for the day. We headed into town for dinner at Trailhead Steak and Trout House and then evening downtime.

Wednesday, April 28, 2021

When we returned to Cades Cove the next morning, I didn't know it was going to be my best photography day in Tennessee.

We began by driving the complete 11 mile loop before more people came. Not far past the trailhead to Abrams Falls there was a yearling sitting under a Black Walnut tree eating walnuts. I don't know how many of you have ever held a walnut, in the shell, in your hand but they are extremely hard. We cannot break them open without a tool. This bear was siting there crunching on them like a little kid chewing up a cinnamon jawbreaker. I don't know how in the world there could still be walnuts laying on the ground from last fall. We have four mature Black Walnut trees on our property and the squirrels clean them up off the ground in the fall quicker than I can decide if I should pick them up. Apparently, Cades Cove doesn't have enough squirrels.

Black Bear

You can see the power in his jaws as he crushes the walnut shells.

Tom and I spoke with a lady who told us she saw a bear with three cubs crossing the road last evening. I knew exactly where she saw them so I asked what direction they were going. With that information, I knew of a spot I was at two years ago with a sow and her cubs. Since that spot was in the same territory as where she saw them last evening, Tom and I decided to follow that hunch.

We hiked into the woods on a trail before going off trail and down over a steep hillside riddled with fallen trees. There she was at the bottom. She was laying up against a tree on the opposite hillside and her cubs were all sleeping around her. There were a few other photographers already there. We were beginning to know all of them by now.

We all picked a seat on a log or the ground and waited. Eventually, momma got up and walked into a clearing and began to eat.

Black Bear
Her three cubs slowly got active and joined her. They were so comical fighting each other, climbing trees, biting sticks, and simply playing.

Someday, that stick will be no match for its jaws.

Black Bear

There were a few of us that actually laughed out loud at some of the antics of the cubs. I think it would have been easier to climb up the right side of the broken branch but it chose the left side. Gravity won in this decision.

I think the sibling is saying "Get off of my log!"

Black Bear

They don't let a good shove keep them down.

Black Bear

Little bear snarls.

Black Bear

This little cub took on a big tree and climbed up out of the shadows and into the sunshine above the flowering Dogwood tree. Black Bear

Meanwhile, back on the ground... Take a look at those claws.

Black Bear

Always exploring!

Black Bear

Yikes! This little cub stuck its nose in the wrong place.

Black Bear

This was the last photo I made before momma and the cubs headed up the hillside to the same spot they were when we arrived. They all laid down on the opposite side of a large tree. Since we thought we had a couple hours before they became active again, Tom and I decided to go into Townsend for lunch and hopefully see Jake and Luke to tell them about our find. We ate lunch at the Townsend Pancake House before heading back to Cades Cove. We never got the chance to speak with the other guys.

We hiked to the same spot that we spent the morning and the bears were already active. Tom and I were the only two people there. The bears were all ours!

Black Bear
Momma was walking around eating while one of her cubs kept trying to nurse. She'd paw at it to stop. Then, the cub jumped up onto her back. I couldn't believe it. I've heard they do that but never saw it and certainly didn't think it would happen when I could photograph it.

Black Bear

Moments later mom gave in to the hungry cub and she laid down. The other two cubs came running. She rolled onto her back and allowed the cubs to nurse. This is the first time I ever saw this happen and it was very special.

Black Bear

Here is a short video of the cubs nursing. I tried two different views hoping for less obstacles but neither angle stood out as the best.

Black Bear Black Bear

Mom stared into the forest as if she was thinking "I am home".

Black Bear

After eating, this little family had a lot of energy. They tore at this decaying log as if they were looking for grubs; just like momma does. Black Bear

When one gets in the path of the other, a rumble begins.

Black Bear

Sometimes together and sometimes apart, they all kept themselves busy.

Black Bear

Here is a four minute video of the cubs which shows they are learning to search for food. But it also shows they are still babies.

Black Bear Black Bear

At times, it was tough to get a nice photo of the sow because she usually had her head down feeding on grasses. She'd look up occasionally to see where her cubs are. That's when I was able to capture this portrait.

Black Bear
We were in a ravine so it began getting dark a lot earlier than up the hill. When the activity began to slow down, the sow took the cubs to where they were bedding down during the day. Tom and I decided to hike out to the vehicle and go watch the Pileated Woodpecker nest the rest of the evening. When we got there, the male was tending the nest. He kept looking out as if he was watching for the female to come back.

Pileated WoodpeckerMale
That was our last stop for the day. Off to Townsend and a good night's sleep to get ready for day 5.

Thank you for reading part two of my story.

If you would like to go directly to part three, click this link for My Cades Cove Experience Part Three.

Dan

Great Smoky Mountains: My Cades Cove Experience (2021) - Part One

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Tue, 22 Jun 2021 20:38:16 GMT

I'm sure the fine people of Eastern Tennessee wouldn't want many people to read this three part photo essay. Why? Because at the end, many of you nature lovers are going to want to jump into your car and drive to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. First and most obvious, the scenery is beautiful. Second, the wildlife is plentiful. Personally, I was there to photograph Black Bear but I did share my attention with other subjects as well.

I hope to share my experience in a way that takes you there with me.

On Saturday, April 24th, Tom Dorsey and I departed for a 9+ hour drive to Townsend, TN. Once there, we were joined by another Pennsylvania photographer, Jake Dingel, and a friend from Colorado, Luke Seaward. Join us, in this three part photo essay, for a week in the Smokies, specifically, Cades Cove.

Cades Cove is a broad, vegetation rich, valley surrounded by mountains and is one of the most popular destinations in the Great Smoky Mountains. After about a 25 minute drive from the town of Townsend, you enter an 11 mile loop in Cades Cove. Before 7 o' clock each morning, we began our time in Cades Cove at the entrance noted by the "START" sign on the map below.

The 11 mile, paved, one-way, loop road in Cades Cove is bisected by two gravel roads; Sparks Lane and Hyatt Lane. If you are searching for a place to photograph grassland birds and birds of prey in Cades Cove, these two roads are at the top of the list. Each morning, we drove around the loop and crossroads before the crowds began to show up. Then, we parked and hiked into the forest in search of Black Bear.

Sunday, April 25, 2021
A lot of the wildlife in Cades Cove are acclimated to people and may not seem to be bothered by our presence. However, we need to be smart enough to respect they are wild animals and maintain a safe distance. Take this American Crow for instance. As we drove along Sparks Lane, this crow followed our vehicle down the road, flew past us, and waited for us to approach. It did this several times. Probably hoping for a handout.

American Crow
We did a lot of walking on and off trail in the forest. One thing I noticed is there are a lot of dead and fallen trees. Of course, those trees serve their purpose too. Pileated Woodpeckers seem to like them for all the insects that call the decaying tree home.

Pileated WoodpeckerMale

This is a scene along Hyatt Lane. Historically, I don't make a lot of landscape images. I'd like to change that. Improvement can only come with practice so I planned to get a lot of practice this week. Normally, I would have skipped making this image but the clouds made the scene more interesting. Of course, in order to show depth and size of the mountains, I needed to include something in the foreground. Since there weren't any trees along this portion of the road, this row of fence posts had to do. All my landscape photos were made this week by applying a technique called "Focus Bracketing". The image is actually several images with various focus points combined in Photoshop. The final result is an image that is in focus throughout the scene. Very similar to how our eyes see it.

Cades Cove, GSMNP

There are a lot of Wild Turkey in Cades Cove. Lucky for us, their courting season was beginning. We saw several strutting Gobblers all week but on this day, Tom and I spent about 45 minutes with this guy who was strutting around like he was the boss. Guess what! He was!

Wild Turkey

Caught in mid-gobble.
Wild Turkey

One item I wish we had with us was walkie talkies. There is no cell phone reception in Cades Cove so we didn't have any means to communicate with Jake and Luke in the other vehicle. If we would see anything interesting, we had to wait until we crossed paths to share what we found.

Case in point, it was still before noon on this Sunday when a lady from Alabama shared the location of a Pileated Woodpecker nesting cavity. I knew Jake would like to see that and Luke doesn't have Pileated Woodpeckers in Colorado so he would definitely be interested. Finally, right around lunchtime, they met up with Tom and I as we exited the woods after a fruitless search for bear. We shared the nest location which happened to be close by.

This is the female Pileated Woodpecker looking out of the cavity they recently built.

Pileated WoodpeckerMale

The woodpecker nest was near the Primitive Baptist Church that was built in 1887. From within the unpainted walls of the structure came the smooth gospel sounds of what sounded like a violin.

This piqued my interest so I entered the church. Inside, I found Charlie Closz playing a bowed psaltery. He asked if I had any requests and I said "Anything as long as it isn't The Doors". He said "You won't hear The Doors in here."

I wish I had shot video of him playing but other people were coming and going and making a lot of noise.

Charlie is also a Civil War reenactor.

Charlie Closz

Since the guys were all together, we decided to follow some tips of bear locations. Tom and I explored one location in the morning but didn't go all the way into the valley. We all decided to go there and take it to the next level. We walked through the forest, past where Tom and I turned around earlier in the day, and ended up near a meadow with lush grasses. Finally, we saw our first bear. It was a female, called a sow, with three cubs. For as large as a Black Bear is, I'm telling you they can hide very well. This one was laying down in a dense thicket with her three cubs and was nearly impossible to see.

Now that we are onto the subject of bear, I need to make something very clear for the remainder of this photo essay. We were not too close. Approaching or disturbing a bear from within 50 yards is illegal in the park and we obeyed the rule as best as possible. Bears tend to wander as they eat so if one narrowed the distance, we picked up our equipment and backed away.

I was photographing with a Canon R5 45mp camera. Attached to that camera was a Canon 600 EF II lens. That lens is equivalent to a 12x binocular and if you add in the camera's 45mp sensor, it creates images that can be cropped significantly.

After sitting on a log for what felt like hours, the sow, still hidden in the dense thicket, got up and walked down the hill into a small clearing to eat. Not long after, her three cubs followed. Black Bears are omnivorous, meaning they will eat a variety of things, including both plants and meat. Their diet includes roots, berries, meat, fish, insects, larvae, grass, and other succulent plants. This is a brief moment when she looked up from eating grass.

Black Bear

While mom ate grass in the meadow, one of her little cubs showed off its climbing skills. Maybe to get a better look at us.

Black Bear

The cubs were playing a lot but not out in the open as we hoped. The grass was nearly taller than they were. In the next photo, mom paused a minute to scratch her back on a tree. You can see one of her cubs in the grass behind her.

Black Bear

Then it was time to continue eating.

Black Bear

Darkness was falling and we were trying to decide the best way out of there and back to our vehicles. Once again, momma grabbed a hold of a tree and began shifting her body up and down. She must have had a really itchy back. She gave us one last show before taking her cubs and heading into the forest.

Black Bear

I can honestly say, I've done this before. I'm sure I don't look as good doing it though.

Black Bear

Before disappearing into the thicket, mom climbed about 10 feet up a tree and placed some deep scratch marks in the bark. It was a dead tree and I think she was looking for grubs or other larvae. The bark didn't peel off easily and she climbed down. You can see her marks in the photo below.

Black Bear

With mom and the cubs back up in the thicker woods, we were able to retrace our path back to the vehicles. That wraps up our first day in Cades Cove. We had a great bear encounter and everything else we saw this week would be a bonus.

Monday, April 26, 2021

Each morning, during our first loop around the cove, we watched as the rising sun burned off the fog that formed overnight. This scene is on the second half of the loop where the Cades Cove Loop Road and Hyatt Lane meet. Just about every day we saw groups of people photographing this large oak tree. I really liked this scene because of the glow of the sun lighting up the fog.

The banner photo at the start of this essay is a cropped version of this image.

Cades Cove, GSMNP

It was very noisy in and around the woods in Cades Cove. The songbirds were loving life and letting everyone know. The "Squeaky Wheel" sound of the Black-and-white Warbler is unmistakable.

Black-and-white Warbler

Other noise makers were Ovenbirds, woodpeckers, Hooded Warblers and chatty little squirrels like this Eastern Gray Squirrel.

Eastern Gray Squirrel

We decided to spend some time this morning photographing some of the historical structures in the park.

First up is the John Oliver Cabin. It is the first historical structure on the loop. The following text was written by local experts at SmokyMountains.com. I couldn't have said it better.

"John and Lucretia Oliver, the original owners of the cabin, were the first permanent white settlers in Cades Cove. When they moved to Cades Cove in the 1820s, the only road into the cove was a primitive trail and there was not a working grist mill.

In the absence of a grist mill, the Olivers had to beat corn into cornmeal using only a mortar and pestle. During the early years, Lucretia feared she would starve to death.

Now, the Oliver cabin is one of the most visited historical structures in the National Park. The cabin is held together by gravity and notched corners – it does not need pegs or nails to hold it together.

Although the National Park Service eventually took control of the structure, it was one of the last historical structures to be vacated. The cabin remained in the Oliver family for over 100 years!"

Next stop is the Dan Lawson Place. It is located on the second half of the loop where Cades Cove Loop Road meets Hyatt Lane. Here is more information directly from SmokyMountains.com.

"The Dan Lawson Place, which was originally constructed in 1856, is a transitional piece of architecture – the home features both sawn lumber and hewn logs. In addition, the pioneer cabin featured a modern chimney made out of bricks.

The property where the cabin is built was originally owned by Peter Cable, Dan’s father-in-law. Due to the quality of the carpentry and workmanship, most historians believe that Peter Cable helped Dan build the homestead. The property had a corn crib and smokehouse on site as well.

Over the years, Lawson expanded both his land holdings and his residence. By the time of his death, the cabin had been expanded to have a large porch and an additional second story. Lawson’s land eventually stretched from ridge to ridge!

One interesting fact about this cabin – it functioned as a post office for Cades Cove! The large, covered porch was used as a post office that Dan ran from his house."

Cades Cove, GSMNP

Further down the road is the Tipton Place. The following text from SmokyMountains.com talks about the homestead and other structures on the property. My photograph below does not include the home.

"The Tipton Place homestead was initially settled by Revolutionary War Veteran William “Fighting Billy” Tipton in the 1820s. He was able to procure the land under the Tennessee Land Grant program.

The two-story cabin that remains on the property was initially constructed by Fighting Billy’s relative and Civil War Veteran Colonel Hamp Tipton. He built the large cabin in the early 1870s.

The homestead was complete with a large, two-story cabin, double-pen corn crib, old-fashioned bee gums, blacksmith shop, and a cantilever barn.

The cantilever barn was built in 1968 and is a replica of the original. This type of barn, which was common in the 1800s, allowed a wagon to pull through and unload hay or feed for the livestock. In addition, the two pen design with the large, overhanging eaves provided protection for animals and equipment.

In addition to the land this homestead is on, Fighting Billy was able to secure multiple other land grants and was a dominant land speculator in Cades Cove. After taking ownership of the land, he then convinced friends and acquaintances to purchase the land from him at a handsome profit."

Cades Cove, GSMNP

Okay, back to our search for wildlife. We spent a lot of time walking but sometimes we'd just stop and enjoy whatever came around us. I saw a couple Blue-gray Gnatcatchers flitting around the trees so I watched them for several minutes before one sat down to pull nesting material from plants.

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
The weather was turning a lot warmer today and the forecast for the next two days was 87 degrees and sunny. Not necessarily what we wanted. I would have taken rain over 87 and sunny any day.

Tom and I left Cades Cove for a few hours to have lunch at Apple Valley Mountain Village in Townsend. It's a nice tourist attraction with a General Store, Coffee House, and Cafe. We definitely enjoyed kicking back for lunch and beating the heat.

About 4:00 we met up with Jake and Luke back in Cades Cove. We decided to go back to where we were the night before and look for the sow with three cubs. We didn't find them. So, we all split up in the valley and watched all around us.

I saw a lone yearling come off the opposite hillside but he didn't stick around long.

Eventually, we saw a really big sow with four cubs. She was feeding near a huge oak tree in a field of saplings and raspberry vines and other vegetation in the 3 to 5 foot high range. Now, if I were a bear cub, I would want to climb that tree. It was huge with a wide spread of thick limbs. To the bear cubs, the oak tree wasn't as attractive as an old dried up creek bed. They spent most of the evening crawling around in the creek bed and we barely saw them. Mom was moving around while eating and sometimes she would go into openings but all the vegetation made it too difficult to make any photos without obstruction. I only kept two photos from that evening. The next photo is one of them. I only used it here to show the obstructions we had to deal with.

Black Bear

After spending a couple hours watching this family, mom gathered up the four little ones and headed into thick stands of saplings and bushes. She probably wanted to feed the cubs and bed down for the night.

The end of the day was upon us once again. By the time we got back to our vehicles and drove back to Townsend, it was nearly 9:00.

Thank you for reading part one of my story.

If you would like to go directly to part two, click this link for My Cades Cove Experience Part Two.

Dan

Sandhill Crane: New Life in a Western Pennsylvania Wetland

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Wed, 02 Jun 2021 20:44:38 GMT

Living in Pennsylvania has many benefits related to wildlife photography. There are a lot of opportunities if you are willing to put in the time and effort to locate them. One rare find is the nest of a Sandhill Crane.

Until recent years, Sandhill Crane were seldom found in Western Pennsylvania. Today, I often see flocks of 2 to 30 all year round. I watch wetlands in the springtime in hopes of finding an active nest but our swamps and marshes are rather dense and not easy to navigate so, to prevent endangering wildlife, I choose not to disturb those areas.

In June, evidence of breeding Sandhill Cranes are seen as they navigate sprouting corn fields with their young, called a colt.

Sandhill Crane and Colt

The Sandhill Crane exhibits extravagant dancing behavior, including bowing, jumping, running, stick or grass tossing and wing-flapping. While this behavior is a form of courtship, it is also performed by cranes of all ages, even outside of the breeding season. Sandhill Cranes mate for life so this behavior is thought to strengthen the pair's bond. On a few occasions, I have been fortunate to witness them performing.

Sandhill Crane Sandhill CraneMating Dance

This year, we were fortunate to find a nesting Sandhill Crane in an area that could be photographed from a distance of 100 yards, to avoid disturbing any animals. The remaining photos and videos were made during events that occurred at this nest site this year.

Below is the female Sandhill Crane we found on her nest incubating eggs.

Sandhill Crane

It was a special treat for me when she stood to roll her eggs.

Sandhill CraneAt nest

Before she could lay back down, she became concerned about a Canada Goose that was swimming near the nest. She walked toward the foraging goose trying to keep it a safe distance from her eggs. She even chased it when her warnings were ignored.

Sandhill CraneChasing Canada Goose away from nest

After leaving the nest three or four times to warn the goose, she began to walk out into the swamp, away from the nest. As I watched, I began talking to myself saying "Where are you going mama? That goose is still here".

I got my answer in less than a minute. I didn't realize it at the time but the male Sandhill Crane was only a short distance away. He came in screaming mad and chased the goose.

Sandhill CraneChasing Canada Goose away from nest

At one point the crane had a mouthful of goose feathers as he bit at its back. I was so caught up in the action, I forgot to press record to catch it all on video.

Sandhill CraneChasing Canada Goose away from nest

Once the goose was far enough away, the male returned to the nest and the pair vocalized for quite some time.

Sandhill CraneAt nest

I recorded the next few minutes of activity. I wish I knew what they were saying to each other. It's all Greek to me!

Sandhill Crane

I wasn't sure when these two eggs were laid but I knew, with a 28-30 day incubation period, they would hatch in early May. There are several concerns for marsh or swamp nesting birds. Three that come to mind are: Would a predator destroy the eggs? Will heavy spring rains flood the nest? Would the eggs be viable?

My photography friend, Jake Dingel, and I checked on the nest at different times hoping for good news. It was on a rainy Saturday morning when I received a phone call from Jake to let me know the eggs hatched. I quickly gathered my gear and Elena and I made the trip to the nest.

After setting up, we waited. Between rain showers, I saw some movement from under mom's wing and finally a little colt popped out.

Sandhill Crane

I planned to stay in the area all day because, once the eggs hatch, the young colts leave the nest within 24 hours and follow their parents into the marsh. I didn't want to miss their first venture into the "real world".

Sandhill Crane

In this video, mom is walking around the nest probing for food as the little ones explore. Toward the end, you will notice the rain began to fall once again. In order to protect her young, she lays down and the nestlings run for cover under her wing.

Sandhill Crane

After the rain stopped, mama began to lure the colts off the nest.

Sandhill Crane

She managed to get one of them to follow her but the other one was a little more hesitant.

Sandhill Crane

The parents and one colt were deeper in the swamp, about 25 yards away. The male called, trying to coax the lone nestling to follow. The nestling called back several times but, despite the adult's encouragement, it stayed on the nest alone.

Sandhill Crane

This video shows the adult cranes and one of the colts out in the marsh, occasionally calling for the other colt to follow. Mom took time to feed the colt while dad paced back and forth waiting.

Sandhill Crane

Finally, the second colt stepped off the nest, into the water, and began its first journey into the marsh. While stumbling over the smallest of branches and weeds, it met up with dad. You can see it in the lower right of the frame in the next photo.

Sandhill Crane
This pair of colts will stay with the parents for the next 9 or 10 months. They will become independent about the same time the next breeding season begins.

As of this writing, I have returned a few times to look for the growing colts but have not seen them yet. I'll keep looking and hoping to find this small family before the corn and field grass become too high.

Until next time,

Dan

White-tailed Deer Favorites of 2020

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Fri, 01 Jan 2021 20:55:15 GMT

During the winter, I like to share by summer and fall White-tailed Deer photos. Here is a small collection of my 2020 favorites chosen from my White-tailed Deer gallery.

I found this doe and her fawn feeding in a field in early June. I stayed far away so they could eat and not be afraid.

White-tailed Deer

By August, the first year fawns have lost their "baby face". Their spots will fade somewhat but will remain until their winter coat grows in.
White-tailed Deer

Also in August, a buck's antlers are beginning to take shape.

White-tailed Deer

This photo was made in early September. You can see how much the fawn's coat is changing.

White-tailed Deer

In late August and early September, I am grateful to have a farm location that I have permission to set up in a blind to catch deer leaving the woods to feed in a soy bean field. They love soy bean leaves. I was shocked to see this beauty step out.

White-tailed Deer

"Hey ladies, my eyes are down here!"

White-tailed Deer

Oh, I was really blessed this year. I had two monster bucks in the same area. When I told the landowner, he said "Don't worry, they will be gone by the time hunting season starts." To tell you the truth, I only saw them in that spot one more time.

White-tailed Deer

The falling leaves of October signify the mating season is near. I find it to be the best time to photograph a buck in the wild. If they are on the scent of a doe or guarding a doe, they usually don't run as soon as they see you.

White-tailed Deer

Of course, that doesn't mean they will stand there forever either. They are still a wild animal so camera settings need to be accurate all the time.

White-tailed Deer

I saw this same buck last year and he was a nine point. This year he gained a point. I can't always tell if I saw a buck before, but this guy's rack is unique in its width and short tines so there aren't many like him.

White-tailed Deer

Here are a couple doe I found bedded down in the early afternoon sun.

White-tailed Deer

This is definitely one of the nicest eight point bucks I found this year. He was tough to photograph. He was guarding a doe that was laying down between us. He was wary of me and stayed up the hill in the thicker stand of trees. He made one appearance and I got the shot.

White-tailed Deer

I photographed this White-tailed Deer on the crest of a hill with the brightness of a cloudy sunset behind him. In addition to the silhouette, I like the detail of all the long hairs on the deer's face.

These "Deer Whiskers" are also known as vibrissae. These long hairs are located around a white-tailed deer’s mouth , nose, and eyes as seen in the close-up. Vibrissae are thought to provide a sense of touch, to help animals feel the presence of objects close to the mouth, nose, or eyes. These hairs seem to be common on animals that are somewhat nocturnal.

Vibrissae’s greatest importance to animals with an acute sense of smell may be to determine air movement. Perhaps they are used to “feel the air,” indicating from which direction a scent is coming, whether it’s that of a dangerous predator or a valuable food source.

Here is a typical example of how a buck guards his doe. She goes about her business laying down, eating, or on the move. Meanwhile, he follows her wherever she goes.

White-tailed Deer

On November 5th, the rut was going strong in western Pennsylvania. I watched a buck follow a doe into thick woods on the side of a slope. The buck was paying attention to the doe but stopped briefly to look at me and I captured this moment when she tried to get his attention. After a few photos they went deeper into the woods and disappeared.

White-tailed Deer

I watched a ten point follow a doe into an opening near the woods. She laid down and so did he. I'm sure you can see her. Can you find him?

White-tailed Deer

The buck will walk just about anywhere for a doe while relying on natural instinct to keep him hidden from danger.

White-tailed Deer

After a doe walks through an area, the buck will lick either the doe or the ground where she urinated or defecated and inhales for several seconds, sometimes curling his top lip. The Jacob's gland enables him to detect the doe's scent that indicates if she is close or in estrous.

White-tailed Deer

This is the last photo I'll share in the photo essay. I find many deer like to walk along a ridge which provides a challenge to photograph. The bright sky sometimes washes out the background. I was able to recover this one nicely.

White-tailed Deer

Thanks for checking out this photo essay. If you want to see photos that I left out, you can check them out and more in my White-tailed Deer gallery.

Take care and Happy New Year.

Dan

Big Bulls and Hot Cows in Elk Country

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Sun, 22 Nov 2020 22:27:36 GMT

It's that time of year again. I'd like to show you some of the photos I made during the elk rut season this year. This year was a very different year in good and bad ways.

Starting with the bad, the COVID-19 pandemic affected my visits to Elk County, Pennsylvania to photograph these great creatures during their mating season. I didn't want to stay in a hotel and ate at very few restaurants. I practiced social distancing with the people I spent time with and kept my distance from strangers. It was more tiring than past years because of the extra travel but it was still a great season.

Now for the good. The weather this year was as good as it gets for September. Unlike the past couple years, the temperatures were closer to normal for a Pennsylvania September. It was downright cold and frosty on some mornings. The cool weather makes it better for photography because the elk tend to stay in the open longer in the morning and come out of the woods a little earlier in the afternoon. Both providing better photo opportunities.

Let's get started with the photos...

The bull in this photo is an iconic bull people refer to as "Tippy". Tippy got his nickname because of the way he carries his rack. He always tilts it to the side as if one side was heavier than the other. Until this year, Tippy has always been one of the dominant bulls that visitors enjoyed watching in the fields behind the Elk Country Visitor Center. This year, he spent most of his time in the valley in fields along the Bennett Branch of Sinnemahoning Creek. The iconic Tippy is getting old and has injuries but he is still a player when defending a harem (herd of females and calves).

PA Elk (Sep, 2020)

Myself, and other photographers, were puzzled as to why Tippy was spending time in the valley. As the days toward October continued, we discovered many more elk were in the valley and very few, if any, were visiting food plots in higher locations. Our conclusion to this mystery was availability of food. After a very hot, dry summer in which the food plots and other vegetation didn't grow as well in higher locations, the valley was green and lush.

Okay, let's continue with the photos. A common practice during the rut is for the bulls to scrape the ground and urinate on themselves. This is an attractant to the females (elk cows).

PA Elk (Sep, 2020)

When a larger, stronger, more dominant bull elk is in control of his haram, there isn't much the young males can do except watch and learn. Someday, they will have large racks and gather female elk into their own harem.

PA Elk (Sep, 2020)

People who watch White-tailed Deer in the fall will notice this familiar pose where they stretch their neck, curl their upper lip, and stand still only slightly moving their necks from side to side for 10, 20 seconds or longer. People will say, "It's lip curling!" Elk exhibit the same behavior. Why do they do that?

It's referred to as the Flehman Response, derived from the German verb "to curl". The animal has an extremely sensitive vomeronasal organ in the roof of their mouth and when air is sucked across it, they can detect individual scents like pheromones in a cow's urine to determine if they are ready to be breed. Of course, if no female is around they are probably smelling you.

PA Elk (Sep, 2020)

This bull is checking for the cow's receptiveness to be bred. Her behavior indicates that she is not ready. Perhaps she may be too young and not had her first estrus cycle yet. He seems to understand her communication and is not aggressively pursuing her.

PA Elk (Sep, 2020)

Several elk cow are in estrus and the bull elk can sense that. When more than one bull is in the area, a fight for dominance can break out. Most of the time one of the bulls will realize they are not the stronger bull and break away from the fight but sometimes these fights end in death by goring.

Notice the mud that covers much of the body of these two bulls. Bulls will find a hole filled with water and mud. They also urinate in it, crawl in, and roll around like a dog on a dead groundhog. He makes sure to get the smell under his chin and on his mane. All this to attract the ladies.

PA Elk (Sep, 2020)

This big fella is a 10X11 (number of points on each side of his rack). People refer to him as "The King" because of his ability to gather a herd and even steal cow elk from harems organized by other bulls, without confrontation.

PA Elk (Sep, 2020)

Bull Elk are very busy watching over their harem. They lose weight and sleep trying to keep their harem together and ward off other bulls.

PA Elk (Sep, 2020)

This bull was busy raking his antlers through the weeds. Rubbing their head in trees and other vegetation is a way to assert their dominance. Sometimes, they emerge from the rub with a decoration on their antlers.

Notice the color of his antlers. When the velvet is rubbed off in late August and early September the bone is white, the color of the tips in this photo. They achieve the dark coloration by rubbing their rack in small trees, weeds, and evergreens. The sap, acting as a dye, darkens it. The tips don't hit the dye as much as the main beam and tines leaving them near their original color.

PA Elk (Sep, 2020)

Here is a nice example of courting behavior. Once the cow comes into heat, bulls will approach them in hopes to mate. With antlers held high and tongue flicking, he is doing everything he can to win her over. This cow apparently isn't ready to mate. She is moving away holding her head low and weaving her neck side to side as if to say "stop".

PA Elk (Sep, 2020)

This is a typical posturing by the bull when he approaches cow elk he wants to mate.

PA Elk (Sep, 2020)

I'll end this story with a short video containing clips of some bull elk herding their harem and a few bulls, not ready for prime time, sparring as if they are casually testing their strength against peers.

2020 Elk Rut Benezette 2020 Elk Rut Benezette

I hope you enjoyed these photos from the 2020 elk rut in Pennsylvania. At the time of this writing the rut is over and bulls have begun to gather in bachelor groups again. Visitors to Benezette may find several large herds of cow elk, young bulls, and calves feeding in the fields. Bull Elk, on the other hand, tend to stay close to food, water, and a place of security. They most likely will not be found in open fields.

Thanks for looking,

Dan

Unpredictable Pennsylvania Sparrows: Henslow's and Clay-colored

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Mon, 14 Sep 2020 00:52:05 GMT

Many wildlife photographers have a favorite subject. Perhaps they have a specialty and stick with it all year. I like to photograph anything that lives, even the little sparrows that we all see on a daily basis. However, just as I've shown you with photos of warblers, those little birds may look the same when they are in the shadows and high up in a tree, but are very different when viewed in good light and close up.

Because of their subdued plumage, sparrows can be seem alike, even in good light. This photo essay will focus on two species of sparrow; the Henslow's Sparrow and the Clay-colored Sparrow.

The Henslow’s Sparrow has a preference for thick, weedy grasslands and wetlands. In Pennsylvania, it is hard to predict when you will see your next Henslow's Sparrow. They may breed in an area one year and be non-existent the next year. Reclaimed strip mines in western Pennsylvania have attracted regularly occurring populations in recent years.

Henslow's Sparrow

The Henslow's Sparrow spends most of its time running through the dense brush and only making short flights when necessary. That is primarily the reason I don't have a lot of photos of Henslow's Sparrows. The Henslow's Sparrow in the next photo popped up when I was photographing a Clay-Colored Sparrow.

Henslow's Sparrow

A rare breeder in Pennsylvania, even experienced birders and bird photographers can have difficulty finding Clay-colored Sparrows in suitable habitat. His plumage may be subtle but he still possesses a modest beauty.

Clay-colored Sparrow

We are very fortunate to have breeding pairs of Clay-colored Sparrows in western Pennsylvania. Take a look at this range map that I found on the Cornell Lab of Ornithology website. Their map doesn't even show the Clay-colored Sparrow's breeding in our state. Again, reclaimed strip mines have helped many species of birds.

Clay-colored Sparrow Range Map

When a male is singing at the top of his voice, he can be mistaken for an insect.

Clay-colored Sparrow

This is a short video of a Henslow's Sparrow followed by a Clay-colored Sparrow singing in early June, 2020.

Thanks for looking,

Dan

2020 Warbler Wrap-up

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Tue, 01 Sep 2020 00:32:41 GMT

Warbler "season" is a fantastic time of year for me. I love spending time afield hoping to photograph one of these little beauties in a nice pose that shows off their breeding plumage. It doesn't last long though. April through mid-June is about all the time I get to experience the height of warbler season.

There is approximately 32 species of warbler, plus a few hybrids, that I could come across each year. I have never seen them all in one season. In addition, I have never made a "wall worthy" photo of all the species I did see. I always say, "There is next year."

I've recently published some photo essays of a more species specific nature and I hope you all enjoyed them. This photo essay is my "warbler wrap up" for 2020. You may see a couple repeat photos but I included one photo for each species of warbler I photographed in 2020.

When you hover your mouse over each photo, you will see the name of the warbler. Don't hover if you want to test your warbler knowledge.

American RedstartMale

Bay-breasted WarblerMale

Black-and-white Warbler

Black-throated Blue Warbler

Black-throated Green Warbler

Chestnut-sided Warbler

Common Yellowthroat

Hooded Warbler

Kentucky Warbler

Louisiana Waterthrush

Tennessee WarblerMale

Worm-eating Warbler

Yellow Warbler

Yellow-rumped WarblerMyrtle Warbler

Yellow-throated Warbler

That's it. I hope this made you wonder a little bit about the beauty in our woods and fields. They are there. You just need to get out and look.

Until next time,

Dan

No More Warbler Neck

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Sun, 23 Aug 2020 23:23:38 GMT

Photographing warblers brings about many challenges. Some warblers, like the Mourning Warbler and Kentucky Warbler, can be found low to the ground in dense thickets or dark woodlands.

Mourning Warbler Kentucky Warbler

While other warblers, like the Cerulean Warbler and Yellow-throated Warbler, prefer to stay in the upper canopy of our forests providing a challenge for even the keenest birdwatchers. Whether you're a birdwatcher or a bird photographer, you've probably experienced "Warbler Neck". That's when your neck begins to ache because you are walking around looking straight up all day.

The Cerulean Warbler and Yellow-throated Warbler are the topics of this photo essay. First, the Cerulean Warbler.

I like to photograph birds when they are hunting for food. Sometimes, they come pretty close providing good photo opportunities. This warbler has a habit of working its way from the beginning of a branch to the end as they veer upward into the canopy. That is the behavior I caught this male doing. He was inching his way to the end of the twig inspecting each leaf for insects along the way. Cerulean Warbler

This little guy will fly a long way from Pennsylvania to where he'll spend the winter in the Andes in South America.

Cerulean Warbler

Cerulean Warblers are insectivorous, eating mainly flies, beetles, and caterpillars.

Cerulean Warbler

Male Cerulean Warblers sing a buzzy song that ascends to a buzzy trill.

Cerulean Warbler

I mentioned earlier that the Cerulean Warbler spends most of its time high in the treetops. The Yellow-throated Warbler does as well. So why do my photos look like I was right up in the trees with them?

I look for their preferred trees growing below a hillside or a bridge so I can position myself high enough, offering a better chance of being eye level.

One of the preferred trees of the Yellow-throated Warbler is the Sycamore. There must be a lot of insects nestled inside those seed pods because they spend a lot of time checking each one.

Yellow-throated Warbler

Starting at the bottom, the Yellow-throated Warbler creeps up branches much like a Black-and-white Warbler or Brown Creeper pulling out insects with its long beak.

Yellow-throated Warbler

I didn't know how to describe the song of a Yellow-throated Warbler so this is the description from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology website. A male Yellow-throated Warbler's song is described as a series of clear notes that roll into each other, dropping slightly in pitch, but sometimes ending with one higher-pitched note.

Yellow-throated Warbler

These tiny birds reach to great lengths to find food then perform a little acrobatics to see where they will go next.

Yellow-throated Warbler

I saved these two birds for a special photo essay because they are two of my favorite early migrators. Also, they are two of the more difficult to find and photograph at an eye level perspective. Sometimes, I'll go an entire spring without seeing either of these birds in a position worth photographing. Hopefully, next year I will see them again.

Thanks for looking,

Dan

Loiusiana Waterthrush - Stream Lurker

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Thu, 13 Aug 2020 23:24:27 GMT

One of the first signs of spring in eastern North America is the Louisiana Waterthrush. When you come across a wooded stream with fast moving water, stop, have a seat, and listen for his metallic song. Soon you may see one foraging on the rocks midstream or at water's edge.

Louisiana Waterthrush

Although the Louisiana Waterthrush is a warbler, its brown plumage and bold streaking lets you know why it has "thrush" in their name. As they move about, they tend to rock their body which causes their tail to bob up and down. This bird's scientific name motacilla is Latin for "wagtail".

Louisiana Waterthrush

On both its breeding ground of eastern North America and wintering ground in the West Indies and Central America, this species stays close to moving water —especially forested streams and creeks.

Louisiana Waterthrush

Thanks for looking,

Dan

Striking Gold in a Pennsylvania Wetland

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Wed, 05 Aug 2020 00:48:50 GMT

During the spring and summer, I spend a lot of time exploring our western Pennsylvania swamps and woody wetlands. Among the waterfowl, turtles, herons, blackbirds, snakes, and Muskrat, lives a tiny golden ray of light called the Prothonotary Warbler.

Prothonotary Warblers build their nests in tree cavities or nesting boxes placed above the standing water. They eat a wide variety of insects that are found in the swamps. During the non-breeding season, they also eat fruit and seeds.

I wear my knee pads when I photograph this bird because I spend a lot of time kneeling on the ground along water edges. I want to be as low as possible because when they hunt, they are usually only inches above the water.

Prothonotary Warbler

After a couple minutes on the perch in the previous image, he jumped to the nearby log to catch an insect. Do you see another insect in danger on the log just above the water?

Prothonotary Warbler

In the southeast, Prothonotary Warblers are sometimes nicknamed "Swamp Warbler". In reality, the Prothonotary Warbler got its name from the bright yellow robes worn by papal clerks, known as prothonotaries, in the Roman Catholic church.

Prothonotary Warbler

As I said earlier, I spend a lot of time low to the ground when I photograph these birds. Yes, they do fly into trees and shrubs also but I have a fascination with photographing them while they are hunting. Upon studying their habits, I learn their favorite hunting spots. Despite the urge to get up and follow them when they fly, I try to stay put and wait for them to return. That's the best way to make natural, behavioral photos. This male just caught another midge.

Prothonotary Warbler

Only 5 inches long from the beak to tail, a Prothonotary Warbler weighs in at a whopping .44 ounces.

Prothonotary Warbler

Gathering nesting material is an encouraging sight.

Prothonotary Warbler

The next time you are driving country roads that meander through a dark, drab, woody wetland, be on the lookout for the golden flash of a Prothonotary Warbler. Prothonotary Warbler populations are declining because of predators and loss of habitat. There isn't much a single person can do to preserve these seemingly useless and intruding wet areas. Just remember, every little bit helps and the less we destroy, we are preserving habitat for many species of wildlife.

Thanks for looking,

Dan

Midnight Blue

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Sat, 01 Aug 2020 23:30:02 GMT

On a sunny, warm day in May, Elena and I found ourselves in a forest in northwestern Pennsylvania. Off the beaten path, we were in prime habitat of Canada Warber, Black-throated Blue Warbler, and Blue-headed Vireo to name a few.

The trees were full of song as the songbirds are trying to attract a mate. We walked slowly and silently among the bird songs and I tried to identify them but I didn't know them all. However, through the soft boughs of a stand of Eastern Hemlock, I heard the buzzy call of a Black-throated Blue Warbler. The song of the male, loosely translated, sounds like a buzzy "please, please, please squeeeeze."

We crossed a small stream on our way to a clearing where a few old, decaying, tree trunks have fallen and were sunken into the green growth in this unusual sunny spot of the forest floor. That is where we found the source of our voice. Black-throated Blue Warblers are known to search leaves, twigs, and the underside of vegetation for spiders, flies, and caterpillars. I spotted our guy inspecting the tiny leaves of hemlocks.

Black-throated Blue Warbler

Eventually, he jumped down into the lower, bushy growth and shared his time between the bushes and low hanging branches. I envisioned the photograph I wanted. If he would only jump on that log, I thought.

Elena stepped back into the shadows as I laid on the ground to have a low perspective, and waited. Eventually, he jumped onto the log. I missed focus! Dang-it! He was 15 feet above once again.

Black-throated Blue Warbler

Patience paid off. The next time I was pre-focused on the log so it was easier to find him through the viewfinder. He jumped back and forth and finally settled on top of the perch I hoped for.

Black-throated Blue Warbler

He didn't stay on top long as warblers aren't really known for staying in one place very long. He began to work his way back down the log providing photo opportunities along the way.

Black-throated Blue Warbler

I was happy for the photos I got. As I stood to leave, he flew off the log and onto another broken branch. I took a few more shots and bid farewell.

Black-throated Blue Warbler

In case you are not aware, the Black-throated Blue Warbler doesn't live in the north year round. During winter, they spend their time in the Caribbean.

It was so incredible to be allowed to share a moment of time in his life. A time when he didn't seem to mind the company.

Thank you for reading. I hope I was able to take you into the forest for a few minutes. It is an awesome place.

Dan

Lil' Bandit

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Fri, 24 Jul 2020 23:11:06 GMT

As I walk through the woods or drive on back roads, I try to check tree cavities hoping to see an occasional Eastern Screech Owl, Raccoon, or any other tree dwelling animal. Raccoons are probably my favorite mammal to find in tree cavities. Although they can be a vicious animal, they are one of the cutest to see. This is a small collection of my favorite Raccoon photos I made.

This Raccoon was sitting deep in a tree cavity where it was dark so I turned my radio up loud and it decided to take a closer look. I guess it likes Garth Brooks.

Raccoon

While a normal Raccoon wouldn't attack a person, they will “bluff” if they feel threatened or cornered. Last fall, I was looking for White-tailed Deer during the rut and this Raccoon came walking down the hill towards me. It was pretty far away when it saw me and scurried up the tree.

Raccoon

Raccoons will eat both plants and other animals. This includes fruits, berries, nuts, fish, frogs, mussels, crayfish, insects, turtles, mice, rabbits, muskrats and bird eggs.

It is a myth that raccoons wash their food. What they’re doing when they wet and rub an object is “seeing” it; it’s thought that water contact increases a raccoon’s sense of touch. In other words, touch is as important a sense as hearing, smell, and sight.

I found this young Raccoon digging in a small, fresh water spring.

Raccoon

Raccoons are common carriers of rabies, roundworms and leptospirosis. Just because you see one in the daylight, doesn't mean it's sick. A general rule is to not approach a Raccoon at any time. Just enjoy them from a distance.

Raccoon

In late June of this year, I saw three Raccoon kits climbing on a tree. It was getting dark but with the high sensitivity capabilities of the Canon EOS 1DX MKII, I managed a couple photos.

Raccoon

The black markings that fall across the Raccoon's eyes often make them look mischievous. That black fur actually works like the black patches athletes wear to absorb light that can obstruct their vision. At night, when raccoons are most active, less peripheral light makes it easier for them to perceive contrast in objects, which is essential for seeing in the dark.

Raccoon

After a long night of hunting, it's good to find a comfortable tree to hang out and relax.

Raccoon

Thanks for hanging out with me and checking out some of my favorite Raccoon photos.

Take Care,
Dan

Exploring Our Wetlands - Part Two

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Thu, 16 Jul 2020 00:40:24 GMT

I hope you enjoyed part one of this two part series "Exploring Our Wetlands". The following images were made in the later months of May and June. In future photo essay's, I'm going to go backwards into late winter and early spring to share my waterfowl photos.

Fast forward into June and this young Mallard family has hatched and is growing quickly. You can see on the one duck raising its wings that the flight feathers, or remiges, haven't fully developed yet. At the time of this photo, they were still grounded and running around as one large group.

Mallard DuckFamily of fledglings

The Common Gallinule, is one of the many mispronounced bird names that I've heard. First, names such as Common Moorhen and Mudhen are obsolete. The word Gallinule is actually pronounced "Ga-luh-nool".

Although they are good swimmers, they do not have webbed feet like a duck. Peeking in and out of vegetation, the Common Gallinule has long toes that make it possible to walk on soft mud and floating vegetation.

Common Gallinule

The Red-winged Blackbird is a harbinger of Spring. Even though they are one of the first birds to come back in the spring, they are also the most familiar bird in the wetlands all summer. This photo shows the display of the male's red shoulder patches when he is singing.

Red-winged BlackbirdMale

One morning I was lurking around the edges of a swamp when I noticed a nest nestled in a small shrub in the water. I watched it through my lens for awhile and discovered a Common Grackle incubating eggs. The nest is in an area populated with water snakes and I feared the eggs wouldn't survive. I returned about four days later and the nest was abandoned so I believe something ate the eggs.

Common Grackle

This is a probable culprit of raiding the Common Grackle nest shown above. I'm not a fan of snakes. No way! No How! However, I liked the way this Northern Water Snake looked slithering through the Spadderdock and last year's dried vegetation. I especially liked that it was 15 yards away!

Northern Watersnake

The Tree Swallow can be found in many habitats, including wetlands. They are difficult to photograph in flight as they quickly zig-zag all over the place snatching insects in mid-air. They got their name because of their habit of nesting in cavities in trees. However, they do take over nest boxes too. I love the long swooping wings of the resting Tree Swallow.

Tree Swallow

The Least Bittern is the smallest heron. Rather difficult to see in their preferred habitat, they will give a patient person a glimpse once in a while.

Least BitternMale

They are sneaky little buggers as they walk around the swamp inches above the water looking for food. If you would like to see more photos and read more information about our smallest heron, check out a blog I wrote in August, 2017 called "A Morning at the Marsh".

Least BitternMale

I see a lot of Painted Turtles sitting on rocks or logs in various bodies of water. They tend to be leery of people and slide into the water if anyone comes too near. Turtles bask in the sun and gain heat from the ground or log they are in contact with, through a process known as conduction. Basking in the sun allows turtles to dry their shell, which prevents parasites from attaching.

Painted Turtle

This drake Wood Duck was perched on the stump for a long time. I ignored him at first because he was so far away. Finally I gave in and made a few photos.

Wood DuckDrake

One morning, I was watching Bald Eagle fledglings at the swamp in MK Goddard State Park when this Great Blue Heron flew across the swamp and landed on a dead tree. After awhile, it pulled one leg up into its chest indicating it was getting comfortable so I grabbed a few shots.

Great Blue Heron

This Belted Kingfisher perched low over the wetlands most likely watching for a minnow or frog to wander past.

Belted Kingfisher

I hope you enjoyed this two part series of wildlife found in the still waters of swamps and marshes. Of course, this wasn't a complete list of wildlife you may see but it is a nice sampling. Maybe next spring I'll add something different to my portfolio.

Thanks for looking,

Dan

Exploring Our Wetlands - Part One

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Tue, 14 Jul 2020 01:05:47 GMT

Our wetlands provide habitat to many species of birds and mammals. I love spending time along these still bodies of water because of the many photographic opportunities. In March and early April I spend some time in a blind photographing waterfowl. That will be in another story someday. In this photo essay and the next, I will show you other photographs I made from April through June of this year. I have several images to show so I'm not going to write much. I hope you enjoy.

I usually find Double-crested Cormorants in large flocks but on this day, I saw a lone cormorant standing on a log in a swamp.

Double-crested Cormorant

Occasionally, during early spring, shorebirds show up while on their migration route. I happened to see a small flock of Greater Yellowlegs in one of our northern counties. The next day they were gone.

Greater Yellowlegs

Sora is the most abundant and widespread rail in North America. You wouldn't really know that because it is difficult to spot one. The best chance is in the early morning or evening when they may step out of the thick vegetation to feed.

Sora

Not to be confused with a Beaver, the Muskrat is a popular resident of our wetlands.

Muskrat

Rusty Blackbirds are uncommon visitors to western Pennsylvania. They are seen during migration from their winter grounds of the southern United States to their breeding grounds of Canada's boreal forest. According to reports, this is a declining species so I am always happy to see them. If you want to see more about the Rusty Blackbird, I wrote a photo essay about their different plumage variations. You can view it by clicking here.

Rusty Blackbird

The Eastern Phoebe is not an uncommon bird. Besides being found around water, they can often be found in backyards, farms, and woodland edges too. You know a phoebe is near as they call their name in a raspy “phoebe”.

Eastern Phoebe

A Swamp Sparrow is a little different than many of the other sparrows we see. The Swamp Sparrow has longer legs than most sparrows allowing it to wade into shallow water to forage. This species even sometimes sticks its head under water to try to capture aquatic invertebrates.

Swamp Sparrow

I usually don't pay a lot of attention to amphibians but I'd be remiss to exclude this American Bullfrog from species found in wetlands.

American Bullfrog

That's it for part one. Part two will be coming soon and I hope you check it out.

Thanks for looking,

Dan

Pennsylvania's Early Arriving Warblers

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Tue, 07 Jul 2020 23:46:56 GMT

In the early spring, many species of birds travel from their winter home to the north where they will breed. Many breed in various parts of the northeast including Pennsylvania. Some continue into Canada. I am writing this photo essay to show you photos of some of the earliest migrating songbirds that I photographed this spring (2020).

When I say early, I'm speaking about the month of April. Most migrant songbirds begin to show up in my home state of Pennsylvania in May. The Palm Warbler is one of the migrants that only pass through enroute to their breeding ground in Canada's boreal forests . Though the Palm Warbler’s name might imply it is a tropical bird, it is actually one of the northernmost breeding of all warblers. Only the Blackpoll Warbler breeds further north.

Last April, my wife Elena and I were walking our dogs in nearby Moraine State Park when I noticed a bird hopping along the ground bobbing it's tail. I walked towards it to discover it was a Palm Warbler. Once we returned home, I grabbed my gear and returned to the area to look for more Palm Warblers. I found one.

Palm Warbler

While searching for the Palm Warbler that evening, I saw other yellow birds jumping around the trees. Knowing it's too early for Yellow Warblers, I watched and discovered there were also Pine Warblers. Pine Warblers do breed in Pennsylvania but are usually found in pine forests. Unlike most other warblers, you may find a Pine Warbler visiting bird feeders. The Pine Warbler is the only warbler that eats large quantities of seeds, primarily those of pines.

Pine Warbler

The Black-and-white Warbler is one of the earliest arriving migrants. They are easy to identify if you listen for their high pitch squeaky song. Much like a nuthatch, the Black-and-white Warbler crawls up and down tree trunks searching for insects. This is a handsome male photographed during a song.

Black-and-white Warbler

I struggle every year to get a really good photo of an American Redstart. They jump around the trees so fast that I seldom get a clear shot at one. I wanted to point out the bright orange patches on his wings. They are also present on his tail. It is said they flash those colors to startle insects, giving themselves a chance to catch them.

American RedstartMale

The buzzy song of the Black-throated Green Warbler can be heard throughout their migration route and breeding ground. They do breed in Pennsylvania and I see a lot of them year after year. This year was an exceptional year for Black-throated Green Warbler sightings.

Black-throated Green Warbler

The Yellow-rumped Warbler is probably the most seen warbler in the northeast. They do migrate as far south as Mexico and Central America but they can also be found year round in some parts of Pennsylvania. In the spring, they seem to flood North America with impressive numbers. Many people don't photograph them because they are so plentiful. In my opinion, how can you pass up a bird as good looking as this male.

Yellow-rumped WarblerMyrtle Warbler

Even the female Yellow-rumped Warbler is beautiful.

Yellow-rumped WarblerMyrtle Warbler

The most tropical looking of our warblers is the Northern Parula. They breed in most of the eastern United States. They feed high in the trees with a habit of walking out to the very end of tiny branches looking for insects. Luckily, during migration, they forage lower in the trees providing photo opportunities. Parulas sing a lot in the spring so I find them by listening for their buzzy trill.

Northern Parula

There are other species of warbler, Prothonotary, Yellow-throated, and Louisiana Waterthrush for instance, that arrive in April but I plan to include them in other photo essays to help single out their habitat preferences and behaviors.

As always, I hope you enjoyed the photos and information in this photo essay.

Take care,

Dan

Great Blue Heron: Mornings in a Rookery

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Fri, 03 Jul 2020 01:00:02 GMT

We are fortunate to have a Great Blue Heron rookery that is used year after year providing wonderful photo opportunities. In case this is new to you, Great Blue Herons, like many other species of heron, nest in colonies. In this one, for instance, this colony of nests are in several Sycamore trees located in a swamp. There is a highway running past the swamp which provides a 75-100 foot elevation for a semi-level viewing trajectory. The nesting trees are about 150 yards from the viewing area but with the right photographic equipment and a solid tripod, decent photographs are possible.

This photo is an uncropped image made with a 600mm lens. I made all the following photos in the second and fourth week of May this year.

Great Blue Heron

This is an adult flying into the nest at the uppermost limbs of the tree. The penthouse, you might say! See the tiny nestlings?

Great Blue Heron

As one adult flies into the nest, the other prepares to leave.

Great Blue Heron

This adult on the right just landed on the nest and the two nestlings expect to be fed. I've watched this rookery quite a few years and it still amazes me that those birds can live on that tiny nest without falling off.

Great Blue Heron

Leaving the nest.

Great Blue Heron

Feeding time! It is interesting to watch the chicks feed. Herons, like many birds, feed their chicks by regurgitating food into the nests or directly into their mouths. Two of the chicks can be seen tugging on the parent’s bill. This behavior helps to stimulate the parent to regurgitate.

Great Blue Heron

Here is a short video of a couple Great Blue Heron nests during feeding. You will see them tugging on the parent's bill. The chicks will fight with each other to try and make sure that they are the one who receives most of the food.

This is a High-definition 4K video so adjust the setting accordingly if the player doesn't do it automatically. Also, if the screen looks grey, click again and allow Adobe Flash to run.

Great Blue Heron Rookery Great Blue Heron Rookery

I hope you enjoyed this photo essay and thanks for looking,

Dan

Red Fox Family Frolicking

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Sun, 28 Jun 2020 21:00:00 GMT

Each April, when my focus turns towards photographing the returning songbirds, there is always a piece of me hoping to get an opportunity to photograph the den of a wild canine like the Red Fox.

Males are called "dog" foxes and females are called "vixens." Besides the fact that they are intelligent predators with extremely sharp senses of sight, smell and hearing, the pups, also known as kits, are a lot of fun to watch once they are old enough to come out of the den to play.

Breeding usually begins in February and by April, the kits leave the den for short periods to explore. Just like any other puppy, they play with anything they can pick up and run with.

Red Fox

A litter of fox ranges from four to ten but the average is six. Young are born in dens. The Red Fox usually enlarges a woodchuck burrow or might den in a hollow log. Getting an opportunity to watch an active fox den is a toss-up each year because they may not use the same den the following year. I was able to photograph two dens this year. These first five photos are from the first den. A photographer friend of mine invited me to a farm to watch.

The kits play just like domestic dogs. In this photo, they are circling each other and waiting for one to pounce.

Red Fox

Setting up my gear under a blind is the desired way to photograph these animals. Although Red Fox don't seem to mind making a den in a populated area, they can still be spooked and will move the litter if they feel threatened. Sometimes, the kits will hear the clicks of the camera and stop to look but most of the time, they are unconcerned about my presence.

Red Fox

They were playing so hard one fox even bit it's own foot.

Red Fox

Their play times usually don't last very long. They tire quickly and retreat into their den to rest. During the day, neither parent is around the den. They may come to nurse or bring food but leave. I suppose their time spent at the den is short so they don't attract predators.

In the evening, it is common for the adults to come nearby to check on them. The kits will stop frolicking and stare into the nearby woods. They are probably hoping mom or dad is coming with food.

Red Fox

The next six photos were made at the second den of the year. Elena and I were out and about one evening and I happened to see an orange flash at the edge of the woods. I explored enough to see one of the little foxes. I returned the favor to my friend and, a couple days later, we set up under the cover of wild, shrubby, growth in a field hoping the kits would leave the woods to play. They did. There were three kits in this litter.

These two played together a lot while the third liked to explore on its own. This is the largest and smallest kit in the litter.

Red FoxMoraine State Park

One of the cutest habits of the Red Fox is their tendency to pounce. When they get older they will pounce on their prey. Right now, they just pounce on each other.

Red FoxMoraine State Park

There is a lot of biting in the face area in their style of play.

Red FoxMoraine State Park

They need to be quick on their feet too as they tend to go after the feet as well.

Red FoxMoraine State Park

Even during play, it doesn't take much to sway their attention to something else, leaving itself vulnerable to a bite on the jaw from a sibling.

Red FoxMoraine State Park

There was a large insect flying around, grabbing the attention of this little kit. Their innocence and playful attitude will be short lived as they grow and become adults.

Red FoxMoraine State Park

This is a vixen with one of her three kits from a third family I saw this year. They will stick together through August or September when the family disbands. Both males and females become sexually mature in ten months so the kits may breed the next winter.

I hope you enjoyed this photo essay. Photos can't fully express the cuteness of a young fox family. If you are interested, please check out more photos of Red Fox in my Red Fox Gallery.

Thanks for looking,

Dan

Day Trip: Benezette, PA

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Mon, 22 Jun 2020 01:29:39 GMT

One benefit of living in central, western PA is that I have plenty of places within an hour drive that offer great wildlife photo opportunities. Then there are a few destinations that are about two hours. One of those is Benezette, home of the Pennsylvania elk herd, Elk Forest, and beautiful scenery.

I awoke at 4 AM to get dressed and get on the road so I can arrive in the mountains of Elk County close to sunrise. It's the time of year to photograph bull elk with their growing antlers or cow elk with calves by her side. However, my main reason for this trip was to photograph Dickcissel in State Game Land (SGL) 311, known to locals and frequent visitors as "The Saddle". The Dickcissel is a prairie bird that breeds in small numbers in Pennsylvania. They are rare to find but I usually find them in The Saddle.

When I first arrived to the mountains surrounding Benezette shortly after sunrise, I began looking for bull elk. The bulls tend to stay in the mountains in bachelor groups until fall when mating season begins. My first sighting was a White-tailed Deer doe and two fawns. They were a couple hundred yards from the road but I pulled over in case they came closer.

White-tailed Deer

The second fawn came out of the woods to play but it seemed to encourage the family to enter the woods ending my photo opportunity.

White-tailed Deer

After a short time driving around the back roads, I found two bull elk. One was quite happy staying in the woods with many trees separating us but this bull crossed the road and entered the woods on the other side.

PA Elk (June, 2020)

As I continued to look around for elk, I saw the head of a hen Wild Turkey in a field near the road.

Wild Turkey

She began clucking and was reluctant to fly away indicating that she might have little ones in the high grass. Sure enough, several poults crossed an opening in the grass before disappearing once again.

Wild Turkey

Here is a close up of the Wild Turkey poults before following mom into the thick grass. Their mother was still clucking so I drove away and left them alone.

Wild Turkey

I was on my way up Winslow Hill Road to SGL 311 when I noticed this White-tailed Deer doe staring at me.

White-tailed Deer

I arrived at the top of the hill and found my friend Willard Hill in the elk viewing area parking lot. I pulled over and we got out of our vehicles and began to talk about our morning findings. The sun was peeking through the clouds and it also began to rain. The combination created this beautiful rainbow over the grasslands, in which, I will shortly be looking for Dickcissel. The hilltop under the rainbow is The Saddle which comes up in a lot of conversations in September, during the rut.

Benezette RainbowSeen from viewing area parking lot looking towards "The Saddle"

The cabin on the hill is a popular sight for people coming to Benezette and it's usually used in reference to where they saw elk during the rut.

Benezette RainbowSeen from viewing area parking lot looking towards "The Saddle"

During the short drive from the parking lot to the entrance road into The Saddle, I found this male Eastern Bluebird near some nesting boxes.

Eastern BluebirdMale

My friend joined me on the hike into The Saddle. We had a difficult time finding Dickcissel. On our way we saw several Bobolink, another grassland bird, flying around. The photo below is a female Bobolink.

BobolinkFemale

There were a lot more male Bobolink than female.

BobolinkMale

After a couple hours, we decided it wasn't our day to see a Dickcissel and returned to our vehicles. In case you were wondering what a Dickcissel looks and sounds like, I'll wrap up this trip with a video I made a couple years ago in this same location.

Dickcissel Dickcissel

Elk aren't the only attraction to Benezette and anyone who loves nature and wildlife will find your days there relaxing and leave you wanting to return.

Take care,

Dan

Autumn Brings Out The Big Boys

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Sun, 14 Jun 2020 21:51:06 GMT

Three months! Three months and the Pennsylvania bull elk will have rubbed the velvet from their antlers that have been growing rapidly since they dropped their old ones in late winter or early spring. Three months and the cow elk will be nearing estrus. Three months and people will be asking "Are they bugling yet"? All indicators that the rut (mating season) is near.

Right now, it's the middle of June and we're experiencing hot and humid weather. The songbirds are still singing. The local Bald Eagles are fledging the nest. There is a lot of wildlife to photograph so I really shouldn't be thinking about fall. The cool weather, colorful landscape, elk bugling, and a few weeks later, the White-tailed Deer bucks chasing the does, takes over one's mind several times a year. My thoughts go back to last fall and some memories and photos I never shared in a photo essay.

This photo essay will highlight some of the "big boys" I photographed last year. Of course, I need to include the girls too. What would the rut be without the girls???

In August, the bull elk are still running in bachelor groups and have not yet become interested in the ladies. Their antlers are nearly full grown and soon the velvet will begin to fall off. This bull was in a good place with all the apple trees surrounding him.

PA Elk (Aug, 2019)

As you can see, elk have no upper front teeth. They are like goats and cows. Way in the back of their mouth they have large molars on both the top and bottom for chewing their cud.

PA Elk (Aug, 2019)

When the rut begins, the bulls have added weight and their necks have swollen to the largest they've ever been due to a burst of testosterone.

PA Elk (Sept, 2019)

The rut is exhausting because the bull is so worried about the herd of cows they've accumulated, they eat less and don't sleep as often. Sometimes, I've seen them lay down in the middle of a field with their harem, and close their eyes. Even when they appear to be sleeping, a distant bugle will cause him to raise his head and answer the call.

PA Elk (Sept, 2019)

Ah, the perfume. Hey, when I was a young, single guy I may have pumped a spray or two of cologne before going out for the evening. Bull elk do the same. It isn't Drakkar Noir or Polo Sport we're talking about, it's urine. During the rut, bull elk urinate on themselves or on the ground and roll in it. The urine soaks into their hair and gives them a distinct smell which attracts cows.

PA Elk (Sept, 2019)

During the rut, some of the cows still have a first year calf by their side. I can't say a bull won't try to service a cow with a calf but I've never seen it actually happen. I guess if the cow goes into estrus, she's not off limits.

PA Elk (Sept, 2019)

One bull can service 20 - 40 cows during the rut.

PA Elk (Sept, 2019)

The thickness of a bull's muscular body is very impressive.

PA Elk (Sept, 2019)

One evening, I decided to get away from everyone, be alone, and look for elk in non-popular locations. I ran into a small herd on a hilltop and photographed them as the sun was getting low in the horizon.

PA Elk (Oct, 2019)

The bull was rubbing and nibbling on the small limbs of White Pine. From the looks of his antlers, he has been in a ruckus or two.

PA Elk (Oct, 2019)

Not long after the elk rut winds down in mid-October, the White-tailed Deer rut begins to ramp up. White-tailed Deer rut activity is a little more difficult to photograph simply because the White-tailed Deer usually aren't acclimated to people like Pennsylvania Elk in the prime viewing areas around Benezette. The doe can be somewhat forgiving and not flee at first sight.

White-tailed Deer

This doe was being guarded by an older 10-point buck. He is off camera to the right but I photographed him for the next photo.

White-tailed Deer

As long as the doe is content, the buck will stand there, eat, or even lay down. That's patience!

White-tailed Deer

Licking branches serve as an important way of communication within the whitetails everyday life. Bucks deposit secretions from their pre-orbital glands on the branch or twig and is one of the most effective means of communication between deer.

White-tailed Deer

I saw a lone doe one evening so I decided to sit and wait for something to happen. Sure enough, an 8-point buck came along. Keeping his eyes on the doe, he hardly even noticed me.

White-tailed Deer

Another nice 8-point.

White-tailed Deer

The White-tailed Deer rut was nearing the end but if a doe hasn't been mated yet, she is still the focus of the males.

White-tailed Deer

Here is another look at the last buck as he circled trees while following the doe.

White-tailed Deer

I see a lot of different shapes and sizes of antlers. This photo reminds me of when modern TV's stretch an old 4:3 ratio television show to the High Definition 16:9 ratio in order to fill the screen. Eveybody looks chubby. His neck and antler width was so impressive I had to include him.

White-tailed Deer

All the elk in this photo essay were found in the Benezette, PA area. The White-tailed Deer were found in various portions of western Pennsylvania. All animals in the photo essay were wild animals and not part of a farm or trapped in any enclosures.

I hope you enjoyed my memories of last year's ruts through my lens.

Take care,

Dan

Late Summer, Autumn, and the White-tailed Deer Rut

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Sun, 30 Dec 2018 16:30:42 GMT

White-tailed Deer are one of my favorite creatures to photograph. This photo essay highlights some photos I made from mid-summer through November 2018. Beginning in late summer with the growing fawns and the quickly forming antlers on the males, this story will end with my observations during the annual mating season, known as the rut.

In August, this year's fawns still possess their spots but there are signs of their maturation into adulthood.

White-tailed Deer

Late summer offers some photographic opportunities near soy bean fields. Deer love to munch on soy bean plants and if you plant it, they will come. I sat in a blind one September evening and observed this 6-point exit the woods on his way to the fields.

White-tailed Deer

This fawn stepped out of the woods line with caution.

White-tailed Deer

I saw quite a few bucks at this location but this one had the biggest rack.

White-tailed Deer

Darkness was coming quickly when I packed up for the evening. On my way back to my vehicle, I found this spike that was more daring than the other deer that already fled when they saw me.

White-tailed Deer

In October, I begin to look for bucks in pursuit of females in heat. During the mating period, known as the rut, the males seem to be oblivious of me and my camera as they are only paying attention to the doe.

White-tailed Deer

Here is one of the larger racks I found this year.

White-tailed Deer

If I find a buck that doesn't run, I begin to look around for the reason. She is usually found nearby.

White-tailed Deer

The next four photos were made along a ridge. I was part way down one side and they walked up from the other.

White-tailed Deer

These next two bucks were in pursuit of a doe. I'm glad they paused in a clearing long enough for a photo.

White-tailed Deer

After seeing this buck in a weedy field, it became apparent that he didn't want to leave. After a few minutes, I noticed a doe laying down in the thick cluster in the left side of the photo. The buck kept looking over his shoulder for competition.

White-tailed Deer

Here is a nice 8-point with a broken tine.

White-tailed Deer

During the rut, male deer sniff the air for the scent of a doe in estrus. When they sniff the air, they lift their head up and their upper lip curls upward. This is known as a lip curl. I've photographed a few lip curls over the years. Some are better than others. The buck in the next photo is doing a lip curl but it isn't one of the most noticeable I've photographed.

White-tailed Deer

If I'm driving around back roads and find a lone doe, I usually stop and watch for a while because there my be a buck nearby. I found this doe feeding in a field so I pulled over and watched. I sat about 15 minutes watching this doe walk and eat. Finally, the buck I was hoping to see ascended from the thick woods. As the doe walked, I think it got a little too far away from the woods for his comfort.

White-tailed Deer

Here is another photo of the 8-point with a broken tine. You can see where it broke on the left side of his rack.

White-tailed Deer

I got a call from a friend one evening alerting me of a nice 10-point with a doe. I quickly met up with him to see this guy.

White-tailed Deer

His doe was still bedded down from her afternoon rest period.

White-tailed Deer

This buck provided some nice photo opportunities.

White-tailed Deer

I found this buck as darkness set in. I'm glad he stood still long enough for a sharp image because my shutter speed was slow.

White-tailed Deer

The next two photos are a doe with a buck in pursuit of her affection.

White-tailed Deer

The size of a male's rack might have an influence on a does decision making when it comes to selecting a mate. This buck's determination made up for the size of his rack as he wasn't giving up on this doe. It grew darker and I left while he was still hanging around.

White-tailed Deer

The following photos are other deer I found.

White-tailed Deer

This group of doe was feeding along the top of a ridge while the sun was setting.

White-tailed Deer

I'll wrap up this photo essay with one more buck. I never saw the doe but he didn't mind me being there so she had to be in the thick brambles somewhere.

White-tailed Deer

He gave me one last look before heading down the hill and out of sight.

White-tailed Deer

I hope you enjoyed the White-tailed Deer photos I shared.

Thanks for looking,

Dan

How Birds Keep Their Cool on Hot Summer Days

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Mon, 27 Aug 2018 03:37:04 GMT

We’ve had quite a few days this summer when the temperature reached the high 80’s and sometimes low 90’s. When the humidity is high it doesn’t even need to be that warm to be uncomfortable. Luckily for us humans, we can go into an air conditioned building or vehicle and cool down.

What about wildlife? What can they do? We’ve all seen mammals, like our pet dogs and cats, breathe heavy. They pant! But what about the birds you see standing in direct sun for long periods of time. Every species of animal needs to maintain its body temperature.

The Great Blue Heron comes to mind. How does a Great Blue Heron remove heat from its body?

The Great Blue Heron, among other birds, vibrate their gular (throat tissues). With an open mouth, the moist gular area is rapidly vibrated, thereby causing a very efficient form of evaporative cooling.

Click on the video below to see a Great Blue Heron cooling itself by gular fluttering.

Great Blue Heron Great Blue Heron

Thanks for looking,

Dan

Kirtland's Warbler: One of America's Rarest Birds

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Fri, 22 Jun 2018 13:32:40 GMT

People from several countries travel to northern Michigan in the spring to see the Kirtland’s Warbler. The bird is currently on the endangered list and on the life list of many birders and wildlife photographers. Read on to hear more about this birds amazing fight for survival, its resurgence, and my experience of photographing the species for the first time.

At 5 o’clock in the morning my cell phone began playing its soft alarm music indicating it was time for Elena and I to see one of America’s rarest birds, the Kirtland’s Warbler.

I opened the drapes in the Grayling Michigan Days Inn to find a cloudless northern Michigan sky. Normally, I would be thrilled for cloudless skies but today I was hoping for a cloud base to filter the sunshine on my quest to photograph the endangered Kirtland’s Warbler.

Hartwick PinesGrayling, MI After a quick continental breakfast at the hotel, we found our way to Hartwick Pines State Park where, in conjunction with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Michigan Audubon conducts Kirtland's Warbler guided tours each June to view the warbler in its breeding habitat.

From the Hartwick Pines Visitors Center, tour participants caravanned about a half hour to a Jack Pine plantation that the warblers selected to breed this year. The path through the plantation is a two way path that looks like an unnamed country road. Jack Pine PlantationNear Grayling, MI

At the time of this writing the Kirtland’s Warbler is listed on the State and Federal Endangered Species lists. Because the Kirtland’s Warbler nests on the ground, we were warned to stay on the path. Stepping on a nest results in a $10,000 fine. Now that would be an expensive photograph!

Other instructions included no use of bird calls or pishing. Pishing is a small, repetitive noise used in the field to attract small birds.

Within minutes of entering the path, we heard a Kirtland’s Warbler singing. I was carrying my Canon 1DX MK II full frame camera body, Canon 600mm MK II, and Canon 1.4 X Extender III on a RRS monopod. Within 30 minutes, as a bird flit between trees and the ground alongside of the path, I realized distance shots would be unnecessary and I didn't need the 1.4 X Extender.

Kirtland's WarblerMale - Grayling, MI

We spent the morning with tour guide, Craig Kasmer, the Park Interpreter at Hartwick Pines State Park. Craig is the man on the left way in the back in the next photo. He began the program at 7 AM with a brief lecture and video explaining pretty much everything I’m talking about in this blog. About 7:30 we departed Hartwick Pines State Park and arrived at the Jack Pine plantation about 8:00. People were free to leave whenever they wanted so after about an hour, some of the 17 tour members left.

Jack Pine PlantationNear Grayling, MI

Kirtland’s Warbler sing for a couple reasons. One is to find a mate and another is to protect their territory. Interestingly, as we left a singing male, we had to walk about 100 yards before encountering another. I don't know this to be fact but it seemed like their own comfortable breeding territory may have spanned about 100 yards.

Kirtland's WarblerMale - Grayling, MI

I was happy to hear nestlings have hatched so both parents would be out searching for food and males would be protecting their family. We found this female going to her nest with food for the nestlings.

Kirtland's WarblerFemale - Grayling, MI

Everyone kept their distance and watched the birds search for food and once in a while they would stop to preen.

Kirtland's WarblerMale - Grayling, MI

Each spring, the .5 ounce Kirtland's Warbler migrates from the Bahamas to their northern breeding ground. You can only find nesting pairs in a few counties in the Michigan’s northern Lower Peninsula and, in recent years, they have also been recorded in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, Wisconsin, and Ontario. In June the nestlings hatch and the rest of the summer is spent raising the fledglings and eating to prepare for their winter migration. Around the beginning of September, the Kirtland’s Warbler flies back to the Bahamas until instincts tell them to come back north to do it all over again.

Kirtland's WarblerMale - Grayling, MI

In 1987, the Kirtland’s Warbler's world population was as low as 350 birds. Through the work of scientists and land managers, that population has increased to over 4000 birds.

There are two main reasons for their initial decline. First, the Kirtland’s Warbler is very picky about their breeding habitat and only breed in young, thick, Jack Pine forests averaging a height of 5 – 15 feet. Second, they require forests covering 30-40 acres to raise their young. A mature Jack Pine can reach 55-65 feet in height, so the Kirtland’s Warbler looks for young forests.

Here is a look at the Jack Pine plantation we were in. It's difficult to tell but there were acres upon acres of Jack Pine that I estimate were no taller than 10 feet.

Jack Pine PlantationNear Grayling, MI

So, how does Mother Nature maintain Jack Pine forests suitable for a Kirtland’s Warbler? The cones on mature trees are serotinous. That means they only open based on a trigger of some sort. For Jack Pine, the trigger is when they are exposed to intense heat, greater than or equal to 122 degrees F. Before modern firefighting technology, fires would destroy Jack Pine forests every 30 – 50 years. As a fire sweeps through leaving charred ground and tree skeletons, the waxy Jack Pine cones open and distribute the seeds in a tight circle around the charred tree. New trees then grow providing a new densely populated Jack Pine forest. The warbler first appears in an area about six years after a fire. After about 15 years, when the trees become too tall, the warbler leaves the area.

Nowadays, fires that occur are usually under control before doing a lot of destruction. Plus, people are cutting into these forests to build homes and businesses. The irregular shape of the Jack Pine does not make a pretty landscape tree so with little regard to the essential Kirtland’s Warbler's habitat, the trees are removed.

Through the work of the US Forest Service and Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Kirtland’s Warbler habitat is being created by harvesting old and tall Jack Pine forests and planting new ones to replicate how it would naturally occur.

Jack Pine PlantationNear Grayling, MI

Here is a male perched near the top of a Jack Pine.

Kirtland's WarblerMale - Grayling, MI

I mentioned in the beginning of this blog that I was wishing for a soft cloud cover to filter the sun but didn't get that. Harsh sun, even in the early hours, present many issues with exposure on light feathers such as yellow and white. Hopefully, I'll see slightly overcast skies on my return trip next June. In the meantime, I'll accept bright sun and be happy that I got to photograph this rare bird.

Here is a male Kirtland's Warbler defending his territory and young family while carrying a worm in his mouth.

Kirtland's WarblerMale - Grayling, MI

Minutes later, after moving closer to the nest, he is still carrying the same worm he had in the previous photo.

Kirtland's WarblerMale - Grayling, MI

They are a bird that like dense branches. In the midst of flitting around, they sometimes stop briefly on a good perch for a photograph.

Kirtland's WarblerMale - Grayling, MI

We watched this warbler crawl all over several trees looking for insects before finally climbing up this branch out of the center of the tree.

Kirtland's WarblerMale - Grayling, MI

Finally, he stopped for a second.

Kirtland's WarblerMale - Grayling, MI

Food is what's important so he continued to search.

Kirtland's WarblerMale - Grayling, MI

In my observation, they have a habit of swiveling their body 90 degrees like an oscillating sprinkler while singing their song. It's as if they are broadcasting their song over their territory.

Kirtland's WarblerMale - Grayling, MI

About 11:00 the sun was getting high, it was getting hot, and the birds were singing a little less. Craig, Elena and I were the last people remaining from the group and we called it a day.

With the Kirtland’s Warbler numbers reaching 4,000 today, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service requested to delist the warbler from the federal list of threatened and endangered species. A final decision is expected by the end of 2018.

The information in this photo blog was created using my personal observations, lecture, video, and questions during the tour, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology website, and a Kirtland's Warbler Festival publication available at the Hartwick Pines Visitor's Center.

I highly recommend the Kirtland’s Warbler tours. For somebody coming into the area from far away it was nice to have someone take you directly to a nesting site. Having access to Craig Kasmer for three plus hours, was invaluable. Keep in mind there will be good days and bad days in regards to bird sightings. It seems like you will always hear them but they need to be near the path to see them. I hope it’s a good day when you go.

Thanks for reading,

Dan

Different Looks of the Rusty Blackbird

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Fri, 16 Mar 2018 20:27:39 GMT

The Rusty Blackbird is a medium-sized blackbird and is also a migrant through western Pennsylvania. I didn't know much about this species but after watching a small flock of them catching bugs in a swamp one morning, I decided to research the different markings that I saw. On the Cornell Lab of Ornithology website I found the reason for the distinct differences.

First, the breeding male is dark glossy black with a greenish sheen and yellow eyes.

Rusty BlackbirdBreeding Male

Second, the non-breeding male is dark brown overall with rusty edges of feathers, and a pale eye and eyebrow.

Rusty BlackbirdNon-breeding Male

Last but not least, the female is brownish to rusty colored with pale yellow eyes and dark feathers around the eyes.

Rusty BlackbirdFemale

Thanks for looking,

Dan

A Display of Tenacity at Lake Wilhelm

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Thu, 08 Feb 2018 00:08:09 GMT

Elena and I decided to visit Pymatuning and M.K. Goddard State Parks with hopes to photograph Snow Buntings, Rough-legged Hawks, and Bald Eagles. Our first destination of the morning was Pymatuning. Just so I don't bore you by getting long-winded, I'll jump to 3:00 in the afternoon when we drove up to the shore of Lake Wilhelm with only a few Canada Goose photos and only sightings of the other birds I was after.

We found one of the nesting eagle pair sitting on the ice near a very small patch of open water. Elena asked if it was the male or female. I said I couldn't tell until the mate came. There are a few subtle differences between the male and female but the easiest way to tell is when they are together. Females are larger.

We watched the lone eagle quite a while as it took several drinks of water and pecked at the ice.

Bald Eagle

All of a sudden it began to vocalize. I asked Elena to watch the sky because either its mate is nearby or an intruder is in its territory.

Bald Eagle

As you can see, it was a juvenile Bald Eagle intruding. In case you don't know, the nesting adults have been nesting less than 1/4 mile away for years so they are literally defending their territory. The juvenile ignored the warnings of the adult and landed on the ice. Bald Eagle

Apparently not liking that, within seconds the adult left the ice to chase the juvenile away.

Bald Eagle

There were a couple scuffles between the two eagles but they were too far for photos. Eventually, the adult eagle returned to the same spot on the ice. I am thankful it didn't land further out on the ice.

Bald Eagle

After the adult landed, the juvenile, showing its tenacity, followed and landed right behind the adult. Bald Eagle

The adult began to vocalize again. This time, I believe it was calling for its mate.

Bald Eagle

The juvenile began jousting with the adult.

Bald Eagle

The irritated adult began another pursuit.

Bald Eagle

So far, we still don't know the gender of this eagle. But we are about to find out. I'm going to give it away right now so ladies, get ready to roar. Hearing the calls of her mate, the FEMALE came soaring out of nowhere.

Bald Eagle

She attacked the renegade juvenile. I guess I got a little excited because most of the fight scene photos were blurry so those photos went into the trash bin.

Bald Eagle

Now that the juvenile is up against two fighting eagles, he disappeared across the lake. After circling the area a couple times the female landed about 10 yards from the male and they began vocalizing with each other.

Bald Eagle

After about five minutes, everybody was calmed down so she began to walk towards her mate.

Bald Eagle

The way she was fluffing up as she walked toward the male I kinda knew what was going to happen.

Bald Eagle

They have been working on their nest daily so I guess it's time to fill it with eggs.

Bald Eagle

The entire act lasted about 10 seconds then he used her right wing as a "running board" to step down. That was nice of her.

Bald Eagle

After all that excitement, they sat quietly on the ice.

Bald Eagle

It was after 5 o'clock and the pair was still sitting quietly on the ice. Finally, they began to wander around. It was time for one to go to the nest site.

Bald Eagle

The other flew to a clear portion of the ice and gingerly walked around. Apparently, there are dead shad under the thin ice and it could see the fish.

Bald Eagle

Below is a sort video of the Bald Eagle picking up bits of food from the ice. Click the icon in the center to begin the video. Bald Eagle Bald Eagle

With no way to get the fish under the ice, the eagle flew off too.

Bald Eagle

Thanks for looking,

Dan

2017 PA Elk Rut Photography Affected by Summer Heat

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Sun, 29 Oct 2017 19:30:16 GMT

A late August or early September visit to elk country in north central Pennsylvania can offer many stages of changes for an American Elk. The calves have grown but are far from the size of their moms, the bulls have begun to shed the velvet that covered their antlers all summer, and bull elk are still roaming in bachelor groups. Bulls begin to feel the effects of the increasing testosterone in their bodies as the upcoming mating season approaches.

Scenes like the one below are common in August and early September. One second they are eating together and the next they may have their heads down in playful jousting with their new set of hardened bone on their head.

PA Elk (Sept, 2017)

Fast forward a mere three weeks and the scenes are completely different. As the cow elk begin their estrus cycle indicating they are ready to mate, the bulls are preparing themselves for a stressful, yet weary month. The sap of young trees have polished their racks, giving them that dark chocolate color and their chest and neck area has transformed into a thick mass prepared to aggressively defend their herd, and they become very vocal. The sound of their bugle has a couple purposes. It helps the elk cows decide which bull they want to be with and it staves off other bulls that may have a notion to steal members of the others' herd.

This bull came out of the thicket ready for a challenge.

This years' rut was very different from many previous years. The eastern United States was enjoying a very hot late September making people wish they had not closed their pools for the season. Photographers in elk country were cursing the heat because it affected the photo opportunities during what would be the most active time of the elk rut. Elk, like the White-tailed Deer, are crepuscular animals. Crepuscular animals are active primarily during the periods of dawn and dusk. Heat does not necessarily affect when the elk cow enters her estrus cycle, but it does affect the time they spend out of the deep woods where they spend the day resting.

I visited the Benezette area on a Tuesday, only days before the warm front entered the area. It turned out to be the only day for me that elk photography was not disappointing. This next photo was made only seconds after the bull from the previous photo ended a chase. Although they were still far up the hill, he made me a little nervous.

PA Elk (Sept, 2017)

I met up with my friend Tom Dorsey before sunrise on that Tuesday morning. We found ourselves with a decision to make. We could hear bugling in a few different directions and after a few minutes of zigzagging around our options, we made a decision. Based on his experiences, Tom had a hunch about a certain herd. We based it on the number of bulls we could hear and Tom's experience of which way they would leave the food plots and enter the woods for the day. That is where we headed.

PA Elk (Sept, 2017)

After a long hike through the woods, we made it to a clearing with a small pond. Elk cows, feeding as they waited on instruction from their bull, already filled the field. Moments later, bulls began to crest the hilltop and assess the situation.

PA Elk (Sept, 2017)

Tom and I were hoping the pond could be used in our photography that morning, but only one elk walked through it. Several cows and calves came down for a drink offering a nice reflection in the water but our distance, and our 600 mm lenses, put us too close to get animal and reflection in the frame. PA Elk (Sept, 2017)

Keeping your herd together can be a daunting task when there are several other decent sized bulls trying to steal some.

PA Elk (Sept, 2017)

This bull gave chase but she was not ready! Hey, you never know unless you try, right?

PA Elk (Sept, 2017)

It was a fantastic morning as I was able to make photos in wild terrain. This bull stops to sniff the air in his quest to find a cow in heat.

PA Elk (Sept, 2017)

Now a bugle!

PA Elk (Sept, 2017)

It did not take long for all of the elk to enter the woods, leaving us with an empty field and an end to our elk photography for the morning.

Tom and I spent a great afternoon touring Elk Forest and other areas that he frequents. After dinner, we went to State Game Lands 311 containing an area known as "The Saddle". The cool, wet evergreens was the home of a bull and his cows for the day. We hoped they would exit the woods while it was still light enough to photograph them.

We were on the northeastern side of the mountain so the setting sun affected us early. As I was beginning to worry that we would not see anything, they emerged. Here is one of this years' calves.

PA Elk (Sept, 2017)

This is the big guy that people were trying to get a glimpse of all day long through the heavy cover of brush and evergreens.

PA Elk (Sept, 2017)

He was the only bull in the immediate area but bulls on far away hills answered his bugles.

PA Elk (Sept, 2017)

He spent some time feeding in the meadow and, feeling at ease, decided to lay down. Even though he was relaxing, he still answered other bulls' bugles with authority.

PA Elk (Sept, 2017)

I love the capability of modern cameras to shoot in low light. When it becomes too dark to make photos, you usually have some time to shoot video. Bulls are known to destroy young trees with their antlers. As I mentioned earlier, this is how they turn them from bone white to chocolate brown. I suppose they also do this to mark territory too. Announcing to smaller bulls that they are not alone!

This video shows this bull destroying this small white pine while answering bugling from adjacent fields.

Here are a couple photos I made between video clips. I saved them until you've watched the video so I wouldn't give away how much he tore up the tree.
PA Elk (Sept, 2017)

PA Elk (Sept, 2017)

During all of that commotion, one of the calves paused for a portrait.

PA Elk (Sept, 2017)

That ended a fantastic day spent with good photographer friends and plenty of elk. I told Tom "if I don't see any more elk this rut, I will still be happy." Little did I know that statement would nearly come true.

A few days later, the heat rolled in. Temperatures reached nearly 90 degrees on days that previous years required a layering of clothing to keep you warm in the morning and evening. It was time for the Facebook club, Benezette Elk Camera Club, to hold their fall picnic. It is always held to coincide with the rut.

Elena and I plan a three-day mini-vacation in Benezette during this time. We knew the heat would affect the photography but the overall experience would still be great. Our first day there produced no photo opportunities until the end of the day. We met at Tom Dorsey's camp for an evening around the fire talking about the lack of elk during good light. We probably solved some world problems that evening too. The sun was below the mountains when a few elk entered the field below the camp. The one bull was pretty big so I decided to try some night photography. I pushed the sensitivity on my camera (ISO) to 12,800 and my shutter speed was below 1/100th second. Only a couple photos were sharp because the bull stood absolutely still during a bugle.

PA Elk (Sept, 2017)

The photo opportunities did not get any better the next day. I found this spike, still in velvet, feeding in a turnip plot. PA Elk (Sept, 2017)

Me_Fern_Tom_Benezette

As I mentioned earlier, this trip is not just about elk. We have a group of friends sharing the same interests and this provides a reason to meet up and talk about elk, photography equipment, experiment with astrophotography in the darkness of the Benezette skies, and I cannot leave out the inevitable joking around.

This year, Fernando Trujillo, a friend Tom and I made during last years' Conowingo Dam Bald Eagle photo trip, made a five plus hour journey to join us for the weekend. We felt bad for him because the heat took away what would have been an awesome elk experience. Elena snapped this cell phone photo of us after breakfast at the Old Bull Cafe.

Even with the lack of elk, I think the overall experience got him hooked. We'll get 'em next year Fern!

Heat remained in the forecast so Elena and I decided to leave elk country a day early.

About a week later, the rut was only beginning to slow down so I accompanied my friend Jake Dingel back to Benezette. The morning produced some action before the elk retreated into the woods. Below is a short video of this foggy morning. After the dominant bull took his cows into the woods, another bull tried to catch one of the remaining cows. During the video, you can hear the dominant bull bugling in the woods. The video ends with a bull we found on the sunny hilltop of Winslow Hill.

As you saw in the video, the difference between the foggy valley and Winslow Hill was extreme.

Winslow Hill Cabin

When the bugling stopped, Jake and I made a few stops in Elk Forest to photograph songbirds. We were expecting migrating warblers as well as some wintering birds. Below is a Ruby-crowned Kinglet just as it was jumping into flight.

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

The sun lit up this female Eastern Towhee in front of the dark shadows of the forest.

Eastern TowheeFemale

The Blackpoll Warbler is one I missed during the spring migration. We found one on this day.

Blackpoll Warbler

The Ovenbird is usually heard before it is seen. We caught a glimpse of this one on a tree limb for a few seconds.

Ovenbird

Last spring, I photographed my first Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. They were adult males and females. On this day, Jake and I found a juvenile.

Yellow-bellied SapsuckerJuvenile

Black-capped Chickadee's are very popular in Pennsylvania, especially during winter. Along with Tufted Titmouse, they are frequent visitors to backyard bird feeders. Here is a portrait of one that came very close.

Black-capped Chickadee

As our quest for birds was coming to an end, we noticed this unusual rock formation. I posted this photo on a Facebook group called "Rocks, Fossils & Minerals Identification" for some expert help. There were a lot of comments and opinions that I'm not going to get into here. I'll just leave it as "nature is awesome!"

Rock FormationNear trail head of Fred's Trail

We met up with Tom for an early dinner at the Benezette Hotel before beginning an evening of hunting elk. This time, we decided to stay in the woods since that seems to be where the elk wanted to be. As we found our positions, we managed to see a few elk.

PA Elk (Oct, 2017)

As the sun set, the elk began to pass us on their way to the fields where they will eat.

PA Elk (Oct, 2017)

Some were a little slower than others or maybe they weren't as hungry.

PA Elk (Oct, 2017)

It was nearly too dark to shoot when we saw this bull who Tom immediately dubbed "Bullwinkle".

PA Elk (Oct, 2017)

I'll end this photo blog with one more video. These clips are from the evening I just described to you. It gives you an idea of an elk's evening from rest to rut.

American Elk American Elk

Thanks for looking,

Dan

End of Summer Transitions of the White-tailed Deer

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Sun, 15 Oct 2017 20:39:02 GMT

The end of summer brings on many changes in the White-tailed Deer, especially the male, also called a buck. As their antlers grow during the summer, bucks live alone or join bachelor groups. Female deer (doe) and their babies (fawns) remain a family unit for up to a year or until the doe gives birth the next spring. In late summer, the does and fawns are plentiful in the fields at dusk.

This doe was crossing a field of Queen Anne's Lace to get to her fawns waiting at the edge.

White-tailed Deer

As the deer begin to shed their summer coat and their brown-gray winter coat grows, the velvet on the buck begins to die and get rubbed off. That is when things start to happen.

The winter coat of this albino deer will remain white but the velvet begins to be shed as expected. If you look closely, you can see blood on his left ear where the velvet has begun to come off.

White-tailed DeerAlbino

Many people would argue that this is a leucistic deer and not an albino deer. Let's explore the differences.

Albinism is caused when they have little or no melanin in their bodies. The hair is white because it lacks pigment and the skin appears to be pink because the flowing blood shows through the deer's pale skin. They generally have pink eyes but they sometimes have pale blue eyes. Albinism negatively affects their eyesight as well.

Leucism is a condition in which there is partial loss of pigmentation resulting in white, pale, or patchy fur. Patchy fur is referred to as Pie-bald. Leucism does not affect the eyes or nose so the eyes remain brown and the nose remains black.

White-tailed DeerAlbino

Below is a short video of the albino buck and others enjoying soy bean leaves. White-tailed Deer White-tailed Deer

Because of the pink skin that is very noticeable on the ears and nose and the pale blue eyes, it's hard to deny he is an albino.

White-tailed DeerAlbino

During this time of year, the food source begins to change and testosterone begins to build. As the bucks shed their velvet, the bachelor groups begin to disband. All the deer you enjoyed watching the past few months are no longer easy to find. As fall approaches, the fields of soy bean plants and other plants the deer love begin to yellow and acorns begin to drop. Their feeding patterns change from the fields to oak trees growing throughout the forest. The dense forest will give them more cover as they feed on their favorite fall harvest.

The life span of an albino deer is shorter than a normal colored deer. One reason is that they cannot hide as well and predators can find them easier. In the photo below, the albino has completed his shed but the small buck next to him is still in the process of rubbing it off.

White-tailed DeerAlbino

As velvet sheds, they do not tolerate humans as much and they move more cautiously. A short three weeks ago you could pull off to the side of the road in your car to watch big deer munching on Soy Bean leaves. Now, they are simply not the same deer.

White-tailed Deer

All of the photographs in this blog were made in very low light. Camera shutter speeds were slowed and ISO (sensitivity level of the camera's sensor) was set much higher than I normally set it. Results were not always the best as I recorded many blurry ears and tails swishing at the flies and blurry lower jaws as they chewed the soy bean leaves. I am happy to get what I got and I am equally thrilled to be able to share these beautiful animals with you.

White-tailed DeerAlbino

The photo below is an example of everything I said above. I found this lone buck one evening exiting the woods were I was set up in a blind. He was heading toward a huge oak tree where the acorns were already hitting the ground. His coat is in transition between his summer and winter coat and his remaining velvet is barely hanging on.

White-tailed Deer

Seeing an albino deer is a rarity so I made four or five visits to the area he was known to feed. There were several other deer in the area and a few really big bucks. The really big bucks didn't get that way by being friendly. I don't have any photos because they didn't take too kindly to me lifting a Canon (600mm lens) through the window of my vehicle.

I think the white-tailed Deer is one of the most beautiful animals roaming the earth. Although the antlered deer are what we're watching for as the mating season gets closer, I still spend time photographing the females and their little ones too. This next photo is a doe and her two fawns. Although the spots have faded as their winter coat comes in, they are still noticeably smaller than mom.

White-tailed Deer

This little guy still has some spots remaining.

White-tailed Deer

I love photographing animal behavior. Unfortunately, I don't have time to do enough of it. Animal Behavior photography, in my opinion, is photography of wildlife in their natural setting without interrupting their activities and hopefully, discrete enough that they don't know you are there. Let's face it, you may be able to be hidden for a short time but animals have keen senses and discover anything that is different. At that point, our best hope is that you are hidden well enough that you don't pose a threat.

Photographing from a vehicle is a perfect example. Deer see a lot of vehicles drive by and never look up from their feeding. That makes vehicles a good blind as long as you remain in it.

I feel so fortunate when I am lucky enough to witness interaction between wildlife and their babies or even the show of affection like these two fawns grooming each other.

White-tailed Deer

Here are a few more shots of the bucks feeding in the soy bean field.

White-tailed Deer

White-tailed DeerAlbino

White-tailed Deer

I couldn't take my eyes, or my lens, off the two fawns in the back of the field.

White-tailed Deer

The grooming continued. Doesn't it look like they are giving each other a hug?

White-tailed Deer

Did you know that a deer's vision is better at night than it is during the day? Also, the colors green, orange, and red appear as shades of gray to the deer. I don't know that I would like that!

White-tailed Deer

September is a time of pre-rut where testosterone builds in the males and hormones escalate in the females. Many bucks begin to "feel each other out" by sparring. Sparring is not an all-out dominance fight but more of an action of pushing each other around.

White-tailed Deer

It was getting very dark when I made this photograph. Most of my photos were blurry but I managed to save a couple like the one below.

White-tailed Deer

When it gets too dark for photos I switch to video until it gets too dark. This video contains clips of bucks sparring along the woodland edge. There were several cars or trucks that drove by during these clips and a few stopped to watch. Unfortunately, most people leave their car running so my microphone picks that up. Hopefully, you can ignore the annoying background noise.

Thanks for looking,

Dan

End of Summer Wildlife Never Fails

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Sun, 08 Oct 2017 21:24:00 GMT

According to the calendar, autumn has arrived. If you’ve walked outside of your northeast home lately, you’ve noticed it still feels like August. With temperatures in the 80’s, we humans make the appropriate adjustments to enjoy the prolonged “summer”. Wildlife and nature, on the other hand, keeps doing what it does in October.

Goldenrod is in bloom, Pokeweed berries are ripening, many wildflowers turned to seed, the sweet and bitter fruits and nuts are ripening into nutrition to be eaten and cached by wildlife, and finally, the deep greens of our summer foliage has begun to turn into yellow and red hues across our landscape.

I have been consumed with Elk, White-tailed Deer, and fall songbird migration photography lately but in the process, there are always special moments and sights to capture in my camera. This photo blog is a compilation of photos and a short video displaying wildlife and nature seen during my time “in the field” the last couple months.

I hope you enjoy these late summer photographs such as this Gray Catbird perched in the, yet-to-ripen, Pokeweed plant.

Gray Catbird

The setting sun is like a spotlight on the thin ears of the Cottontail Rabbit.

Cottontail Rabbit

When we bought this property 20 years ago, I was happy to find it is in the middle of several Eastern Black Walnut trees. Yes, they are messy but I don't have to pick up the fallen fruit. My yard is a popular place in the fall when all the neighborhood Gray Squirrels come to gather nuts. I put down lime on certain parts of my lawn to reduce the acidity from the husks the squirrels leave behind. Keeping the trees is the least I can do to help them through the winter.

Eastern Gray Squirrel

This bird nesting box has been empty for several months now but this Tufted Titmouse had to check if anyone was home.

Tufted Titmouse

Elena and I were in Benezette for a long weekend to photograph the Elk rut. It happened to be during a hot and dry stretch of weather. It affected photography of the rut because the heat would force the elk into the woods earlier in the morning and keep them in there longer in the evening. It wasn't a great weekend for elk photography but I did grab a few interesting shots of other topics.

Here is a Cedar Waxwing perched on a Pokeweed plant.

Cedar Waxwing

If you've ever been to Benezette, or any mountainous area for that matter, you will realize that the morning usually greets you with heavy fog. Of course, fog leaves behind dew.

When the sun finally emerged this one morning in Benezette, we were greeted by several hundred dew drenched spider webs glistening in the fields.

Below is a photograph of a Banded Garden Spider and an interesting tidbit I found about web construction from the Department of Entomology at Penn State University.

"A behavioral study of web construction determined that the majority of Argiope trifasciata orient their webs along an east-to-west axis. The spiders hang head-down in the center of the web with their abdomens facing south. Since the underside (venter) of the spider is mostly black, the orientation of both web and spider is believed to maximize solar radiation for heat gain—an important consideration for spiders that are active late in the year."

Morning dew on the web of a female Banded Garden SpiderBanded Garden Spider (Female)

Waiting for elk to emerge in the evening can be a snoozefest if you let it happen. Instead, I watched several Monarch butterflies visiting the flowering Goldenrod that dappled the landscape. The journey in front of this butterfly is amazing when you think about it. The monarch is this large-winged insect that weighs 1/2 gram or less and seems to be at the mercy of whichever way the wind is blowing. The journey it is on will take him to the final destination of Mexico or southern California where it is warm year round.

If the monarch lives in the eastern states east of the Rocky Mountains, like this one, it will migrate to Mexico and hibernate in Oyamel Fir trees.

Monarch Butterfly on Goldenrod

On one of my more productive elk visits to Benezette I got to spend the day with my good friend Tom Dorsey, who lives in that region of the state. After spending a very good morning with the elk, Tom took me on a tour of many of the back roads through the mountains and Elk State Forest. Once Tom drove us out of the area I am familiar with, I had no idea where I was. By the way, I keep mentioning elk with no photos. The elk photos will be in an upcoming blog about my experiences during the 2017 elk rut.

Close to the end of my tour, Tom took me to a place called Shaggers Inn Pond. It is tucked away in the forest of Clearfield County. We spent about an hour there watching the birds including a Bald Eagle all the way down in size to fall songbirds chirping in the bushes. Shaggers Inn PondClearfield County, PA

Back in western Pennsylvania, wildlife photography opportunities continue. One day, I spotted a few Wild Turkey and several of their poults (babies). The field grasses were too high to photograph the poults so here is one of the adults.

Wild Turkey

One day, while photographing birds in my back yard, I saw this Gray Squirrel sitting in the fork of a tree gnawing the husk from the fruit of one of my Eastern Black Walnut trees.

Eastern Gray Squirrel

I have a trail cam that I move around my backyard to see how my bird feeders get emptied over night and see what might be coming in to get a drink or bath at the fish pond. All summer, I've had two Raccoons visit now and then. So far, my fish have been safe. One morning, I noticed one of the Raccoons in a large, hollow maple tree that was here long before we were. It was very early in the morning and I think he was ready for a day of napping.

Raccoon

He found a spot to relax.

Raccoon

I'd like to share a short video of clips made in my backyard. I love to watch the American Goldfinsh pulling seeds from the dried Echinacea flower. Also in the video is the Gray Squirrel peeling the husk from a walnut you saw earlier in this blog. And, of course, I have to share video of the Raccoon in the tree.

One evening my friend, Jake Dingel, and I went out looking for White-tailed Deer. We were hoping to find them in the process of shedding their velvet. On our way past a marsh, we spotted a Green Heron perched on a stump in the water. We stopped and photographed the bird.

Green Heron

The heron caught me off guard when he lunged to make a catch and I didn't get any photos worth sharing. This photo was after he returned to the stump with a small frog.

Green Heron

I wish I had my macro lens instead of only the 600mm when I saw this Praying Mantis. It could be a little sharper but it is still worth sharing.

One Saturday morning, after reports of a rare Sabine's Gull being seen at a lake about an hour away in Clarion County, Elena and I decided to go see the bird. Unfortunately, the day before was the last time it was seen as it continued on its migration.

During our wait at the lake, we spotted several fall warblers that I will share in an upcoming photo blog. We also got to watch this Osprey dive into the water and retrieve a fish. Unfortunately, the wind was blowing into our face and since birds land, take off, and fish into the wind, its back was toward us the whole time. The only photos I have to share are after the catch, like the one below.

Osprey

That's all for now. I hope you enjoyed this series of photos. Soon I will be sharing photos of White-tailed Deer and the American Elk herd in Pennsylvania. I hope you check back soon.

Thanks for looking,

Dan

A Morning at the Marsh

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Wed, 30 Aug 2017 00:12:18 GMT

August brings about another kind of migration to the northeast region of the United States. Shorebirds begin to make their yearly trek toward their winter homes. The Lake Erie shore attracts many of these shorebirds and one particular beach in northern Ohio is one of them. Not only does the beach at Conneaut, Ohio have the Lake Erie shoreline, there is also a large sand bar containing a mud flat (when it’s not flooded) and a photography friendly marshland.

The sand bar is a two hour drive for me so I don’t go very often, especially since most of the birds have lost their colorful breeding plumage. However, it is a good place to see a nice variety of birds.

In this photo blog, I’m going to show you a very difficult bird to find, our smallest heron, the Least Bittern. Then, I’ll share a few photos of a bird that has managed to avoid my camera lens until this year, the American Avocet. Then I’ll share a video containing clips of the Least Bittern, American Avocet, and more.

The Least Bittern is very well camouflaged, making it one of the most difficult North American marsh birds to spot.

Least BitternFemale

The least bitten measures between 11 and 14 inches in length with its neck outstretched. When in a relaxed position, I’m guessing they are half of that.

Least BitternMale

The Least Bittern uses its long neck to search for and catch prey without leaving the perch. If you look closely, you can see the target on the Spatterdock leaf, a dragonfly.

Least BitternMale

The Least Bittern eats mostly small fish (such as minnows, sunfishes, and perch) and large insects (dragonflies and others); also crayfish, leeches, frogs, tadpoles, small snakes, and other items.

Least BitternMale

In this photo, this female bittern just caught a dragonfly nymph. (A dragonfly’s life span is about one year with very little of that time being spent as an adult dragonfly. A dragonfly nymph is the middle, and longest, stage between the egg and adulthood. During the nymph stage, they spend their time underwater so, unless you witness a Least Bittern catch one for a snack, you seldom see them.)

Least BitternFemale

Bittern can feed in water that is too deep for them to walk in because of their habit of straddling reeds.

Least BitternMale

As I mentioned earlier, the Least Bittern is our smallest heron measuring between 11 and 14.2 inches in length. Even with a wingspan of 16 - 18 inches, it only weighs between 1.8 – 3.6 ounces.

Least BitternMale

The Least Bittern has adapted for life in dense marshes. As I previously mentioned, rather than wading in the water like larger herons, they move about the marsh clinging onto cattails and reeds with their long toes. It slips its thin body through even the most thickest marshes.

Least BitternMale

Because of its preferred habitat, it often goes unseen except when it flies. Perhaps the only way you will know one is nearby is because you hear its cooing and clucking call notes. However, sometimes you can find them in the open such as these bitterns I found hunting on the Spatterdock.

Least BitternMale

Until this day I’ve never seen an American Avocet. I was really happy to see at least one come to my shore today. At 16.9 to 18.5 inches in length, they are a lot larger than I thought they were.

American AvocetLate Summer Plumage

Probably the most distinguishing mark of an American Avocet is their long, upturned bill. I would love to see one of these beautiful birds in the spring when they are in breeding plumage. In the photo below you can still see the fading rust color of its neck.

American AvocetLate Summer Plumage

This avocet stayed at the edge of the shoreline, however, they do prefer shallow water and large mudflats.

American AvocetLate Summer Plumage

Their diet consists mostly of small crustaceans and insects, also some seeds. They feed by walking through the water with the tips of their bills in the water and slightly open. They filter food items from below the water surface.

American AvocetLate Summer Plumage

During migration, the birds need to eat and sleep during their stopovers. This avocet was preening for a little while and its eyes were beginning to close in the warm sun.

American AvocetLate Summer Plumage

We had an interesting visitor one morning. As I and a small group of photographers and birders waited for the Least Bittern to venture into the open, this immature Great Blue Heron walked up on us and wasn't afraid at all.

Great Blue HeronJuvenile

As I promised, here is a short video of some of the birds that can be found in a marsh.

Shore & Marsh Birds Shore & Marsh Birds

I hope you enjoyed this little compilation of photos from Conneaut, OH. There's always an adventure waiting around the next turn.

See you there,

Dan

My Warblers of Spring, 2017

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Wed, 19 Jul 2017 23:11:11 GMT

I hope you have enjoyed the recent short blog posts highlighting some of the rare or seldom seem warblers in the western Pennsylvania region. It was a great, but tiring, spring season. Juggling work and home life, I managed to get out to photograph warblers on weekend mornings and evenings and a few vacation days here and there during the month of May.

I realize many readers have never seen some of these birds and that is a benefit of what I do. If you are able, I hope these photos encourage you to get out in nature and enjoy yourself. There is no happier moment than when you are out in nature, worries and concerns set aside, watching these little beauties decorate your world from the ground to the tree tops.

Sadly, many of these birds you are about to see are falling victim to human "progress". Urban development, among other things, are causing habitat loss in their breeding grounds. Breeding habitat is very specific for our songbirds. They can't simply go to the next standing tree or shrub! Steps of conservation are being taken but will it be enough? We, as shepherds of this land, need to be more concerned with the results of our actions in regards to wildlife.

I hope you enjoy the photos of the 28 species of warbler I photographed this spring. I thought I had 29 species until I found out about the reclassification of the Yellow-breasted Chat. I included him in the end of this blog for ol times sake.

Maybe these photos will encourage you to make plans to learn more about these little beauties and become more active in their future.

American Redstart
American RedstartMale	American RedstartMale
Black-and-white Warbler
Black-and-white WarblerMale	Black-and-white Warbler

Black-throated Blue Warbler

Black-throated Blue WarblerMale

Black-throated Green Warbler
Black-throated Green WarblerMale	Black-throated Green WarblerMale
Blackburnian Warbler
Blackburnian WarblerMale	Blackburnian WarblerMale
Blue-winged Warbler
Blue-winged WarblerMale	Blue-winged WarblerMale
Canada Warbler
Canada WarblerMale	Canada WarblerMale

Cape May Warbler

Cape May WarblerMale

Cerulean Warbler
Cerulean Warbler	Cerulean Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Chestnut-sided WarblerMale	Chestnut-sided WarblerMale
Common Yellowthroat
Common YellowthroatMale	Common Yellowthroat
Golden-winged Warbler
Golden-winged WarblerMale	Golden-winged WarblerMale
Hooded Warbler
Hooded Warbler	Hooded Warbler
Kentucky Warbler
	Kentucky WarblerMale
Louisiana Waterthrush
Louisiana Waterthrush	Louisiana Waterthrush
Magnolia Warbler
Magnolia WarblerMale	Magnolia WarblerMale
Mourning Warbler
Mourning WarblerMale	Mourning WarblerMale

Nashville Warbler

Nashville Warbler

Northern Parula
Northern Parula	Northern Parula
Ovenbird
Ovenbird	Ovenbird

Palm Warbler

Palm Warbler

Pine Warbler
Pine WarblerMale	Pine WarblerMale
Prairie Warbler
Prairie WarblerMale	Prairie WarblerMale
Prothonotary Warbler
Prothonotary WarblerMale	Prothonotary Warbler
Worm-eating Warbler
Worm-eating Warbler	Worm-eating Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Yellow WarblerMale	Yellow WarblerFemale
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Yellow-rumped WarblerMale	Yellow-rumped Warbler
Yellow-throated Warbler
Yellow-throated Warbler	Yellow-throated Warbler
Yellow-breasted Chat
Yellow-breasted ChatMale (Black Lores)	Yellow-breasted ChatMale (Black Lores)

Thanks for looking,

Dan

Yellow-breasted Chat: A Warbler Reclassified

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Mon, 17 Jul 2017 00:52:01 GMT

The Yellow-breasted Chat is the largest of our warblers. At least it was our largest warbler. After writing the original version of this blog I found out the warbler classification of the Yellow-breasted Chat is in jeopardy because of several changes being proposed by the the American Ornithological Society's North and Middle American Classification Committee. Here is a partial quote from the proposal. "The Yellow-breasted Chat is no longer part of the wood-warbler family, Parulidae, and gets its own family Icteriidae, not be confused with the blackbird family Icteridae." Well, the change is official and if you care to read about it, you can here.

Regardless of its classification, the Yellow-breasted Chat is a pretty cool bird. If you hope to see one, you better look in the spring while the male is singing for a mate or protecting his territory because they are fairly quiet the rest of the summer.

Yellow-breasted ChatMale (Black Lores)

YellowBreastedChatRangeMap

Yellow-breasted ChatMale (Black Lores)

One of the fun moments of bird photography is when the bird sits on a branch for an extended period of time and preens. The preening session usually ends with a total body fluff-up like this male is doing in the next photograph. Notice the black coloration in the region between the eye and the nostrils? That area is called the lores. A male chat has black lores and the female has gray lores. Yellow-breasted ChatMale (Black Lores)

Yellow-breasted ChatMale (Black Lores)

Although the Yellow-breasted Chat's population has declined in parts of the southwest, their population is mostly stable. As more eastern forests are being cleared to create brushy habitat, their population has been increasing. Keep in mind when I refer to "forests being cleared" I don't mean for urban development. That doesn't help their population at all. Clearing forests is a good thing when old growth is logged out creating habitat for many birds that prefer new-growth areas.

Thanks for looking,

Dan

Indigo Bunting: A Scrap of Sky With Wings

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Tue, 11 Jul 2017 22:31:13 GMT

Sometimes called “Blue Canaries”, the Indigo Bunting sings on the highest perch all spring and summer. When I want to photograph Indigo Buntings, I visit any weedy fields or shrubby areas near woods and listen. Eventually, one will come along.

A male Indigo Bunting will sing as many as 200 songs per hour at dawn and about one per minute for the rest of the day. Many times birders refer to a bird’s song in the English language. If you were to do that for an Indigo Bunting, it would be "what! what! where? where? see it! see it!" repeated in pairs.

While watching the male and waiting for him to return, I saw a flash of brown in the weeds. It was holding its wings out slightly while vibrating its wings and making a buzzing sound. To me, it looked like a young male waiting to be fed. As I photographed him, the adult flew into the shot.

I would have expected the adult to have a morsel of food but I guess he just came in to the calls of the youngster.

The plain brown females are seen much less often. They need to be inconspicuous because they do most of the work caring for the eggs and young which are hidden in dense thickets. This one came in and out of the thicket a few times.

In the shadows, the male Indigo Bunting looks much darker. Why? This bird’s feathers does not contain any blue pigment. The structure of the feathers diffracts light so that we see only the color blue. So, the amount of light changes our perception of the color of an Indigo Bunting.

Indigo Buntings eat small seeds, berries, buds, and insects. The female reappeared and this time had an insect in her beak. Interestingly, she didn’t eat it or offer it to the male. Instead, she flit from perch to perch with the insect in her mouth.

The male looked very interested in something. Usually, they fly around in a large circle but today he was staying in a tight loop.

Finally, I saw the reason for the peculiar actions. They had a nestling that climbed the branch to get up where it could see more.

Once I saw the little bunting, I decided to leave and not disturb them anymore. They obviously wanted to feed their baby but not while I was there. I was happy to give it space.

Thanks for looking,

Dan

Ma and Pa Gomola Go To Benezette

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Sat, 08 Jul 2017 00:33:13 GMT

You probably have to be Baby Boomer or older to understand the reference in the title of this photo blog. We didn't have quite the antics that Ma and Pa Kettle had when they visited town but it was an eventful evening.

On Sunday, July 2nd, Elena and I went to Benezette for the evening. After kicking around the shops a little bit, we had dinner at the Benezette Hotel and headed for State Game Lands 311 known as "The Saddle" to photograph grassland birds. The Saddle was full of Eastern Meadowlark and most were juvenile. They all stayed pretty far away. I managed some nice photos of a rare Pennsylvania visitor/breeding resident, the Dickcissel.

It was a lot of fun photographing these birds because every time I was going to quit, the light would change and I'd have to get photos in the new light. After the customary singing photos, I tried catching some as they landed on a perch.

DickcisselMale

The Dickcissel is a breeding bird of the prairie grasslands of the mid-west but sometimes they venture a little further east than normal and we find them in western Pennsylvania.

DickcisselMale

A huge cloud covered the sun for about 10 minutes and I loved the soft light it offered.

DickcisselMale

The sun was getting low and the Dickcissel perched in a budding Pokeweed plant.

DickcisselMale

Here is a 47 second video of a male Dickcissel singing. If you listen carefully you can hear Meadowlark in the background.

Dickcissel Dickcissel

Another bird of the grassland is the Savannah Sparrow.

Savannah SparrowMale

On our way out of town I spotted a bull elk deep in the shadows. ISO went up and shutter speed went down but I managed a couple sharp pics.

PA Elk (Jul, 2017)

He stopped to rub his antlers in the tree branches. There was some really cool pics to be made but my shutter speed was too slow. When I went to see world famous wildlife photographer, Charles Glatzer, speak last year, he made one suggestion that everyone should adhere to regarding shooting in near darkness. It went something like this: "Raise the iso to raise the shutter speed and deal with the noise in post processing because a blurry photo isn't worth anything". I should have done that.

PA Elk (Jul, 2017)

Further down the road in the mountains surrounding Benezette we spotted a Black Bear raiding someone's bird feeder.

Black BearElk County, PA

After she cleaned up the bird seed she headed back into the woods. She gave me one last look on the way.

Black BearElk County, PA

All in all, it was a great day. I forgot to mention that I almost stepped on a 5 foot long Rat Snake because I was paying more attention to the fields than I was of the trail but it moved and I jumped and all ended well.

Thanks for looking,

Dan

Magnolia Warbler: Former Black-and-yellow Warbler

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Wed, 05 Jul 2017 22:21:32 GMT

The Magnolia Warbler, hands down, is one of the most beautiful warblers. While other birds have their distinct markings, the Magnolia Warbler has them all. He is loaded with features like bold white eyebrows, an elegant necklace, bright yellow rump, belly and chin and a dark mask.

Magnolia WarblerMale

Even though this bird is very small and active, they are not as difficult to spot as other warblers because they often stay low to the ground providing opportunities for photography.

Magnolia WarblerMale

In 1810, a pioneer ornithologist named Alexander Wilson found this species in a Magnolia tree in Mississippi and is credited with its name. He actually used the name "Black-and-yellow Warbler" as its English name and "Magnolia" for the Latin species name. Over time, Magnolia has become the common name.

Magnolia WarblerMale

I had a lot of success finding Magnolia Warblers this year. If you look in low growth, coniferous stands or mixed forest, you just may see a Magnolia Warbler for yourself.

Magnolia WarblerMale

The Magnolia Warbler migrates at night. In the spring and fall, most fly across the Gulf of Mexico where they winter in Mexico, Central America, West Indies, and most commonly in Yucatan Peninsula. Strays have been known to reach the west coast during the spring and especially fall migration.

Magnolia WarblerMale

MagnoliaWarblerRangeMap

During the summer, in the north woods, they favor second-growth habitats. Their numbers are actually reported as stable or increases in certain areas. One reason contributing to their increase is their ability to adapt to second-growth woods and cut-over areas.

Thanks for looking,

Dan

Mournig Warbler Leaves Me Wanting More

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Mon, 26 Jun 2017 23:06:06 GMT

The Mourning Warbler seldom leaves the protection of their dense habitat and they tend to sing only on their breeding grounds. Even though they can be common in some locations, they are much less frequently seen. This May, me, Elena, and friends Tom Dorsey, Tony Bruno, and Jake Dingel made a few trips, not always together, into the Allegheny National Forest in search of Mourning Warbler habitat. We were lucky to find some occupied by a Mourning Warbler or two. Mourning WarblerMale

On one trip, Elena and I found a Mourning Warbler at one location and he showed himself for about five seconds in the thicket in front of me. We waited several minutes and he didn't return so we moved on. The next location was a little better. A male appeared and spent about 10 minutes flitting between fallen limbs that were laying on the ground after loggers took the forest they needed.

Mourning WarblerMale

You can see in the map below that the lower end of their breeding territory extends into northern Pennsylvania.

Mourning WarblerMale

MourningWarblerRangeMap

Pioneering ornithologist Alexander Wilson claimed the dark "hood" and black breast patch reminded him of someone in mourning. Mourning WarblerMale

This little male continued to fly back and forth. Apparently, I didn't come close to a nest because both male and female Mourning Warblers pretend to have broken wings to distract predators that come too close to their nest. Mourning WarblerMale

The Mourning Warbler is not as vulnerable to loss of habitat as other warblers. Logging of old growth forests provide exactly the habitat they need to breed. According to reports from the National Audubon Society, current numbers are stable.

Thanks for looking,

Dan

Prothonotary Warbler: A Golden Ray of Light

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Thu, 22 Jun 2017 19:55:26 GMT

The Prothonotary Warbler, often called a "swamp warbler" in the southeast, are usually found in the dim understory of woodland swamps. They have been described as "a golden ray of light" as they jump around the branches searching for insects. As you will see in the following images, that is exactly where I photographed this little male. Prothonotary WarblerMale

Although the range map below doesn't show it, there are breeding Prothonotary Warblers in the state of Pennsylvania. They are only one of two warblers that nest in holes in standing dead trees. The Lucy's Warbler is the other but since they live in far southwestern United States, I'm not going to find any of those in Pennsylvania.

Prothonotary WarblerMale

ProthonotaryWarblerRangeMap

Do you know how the Prothonotary Warbler got its name? They got their name from the bright yellow robes worn by papal clerks, known as prothonotaries, in the Roman Catholic church. Prothonotary WarblerMale

All of the adult Prothonotary Warblers that I photographed have dark, wet looking feathers on their crown where they should have bright yellow feathers like the rest of their head. The reason is not certain but some people have said it is because of their method of hunting for insects. They look under leaves and reach in for the insect so water touches their heads, making them wet. Another idea is that certain plants have a sap textured secretion from their leaves and the sap gets on their head while hunting and stains the feathers.

Prothonotary WarblerMale

I watched this Prothonotary Warbler hunting for quite a while and smiled at the positions he got into while looking for insects.

Prothonotary WarblerMale

The conservation status of the Prothonotary Warbler is better than other warblers but they are still on the decline. The clearing of swamp forests in the south have affected their breeding range. Elsewhere, birdhouses have helped them remain fairly common.

Well, that's it for the Prothonotary Warbler photo blog. If you would like to see more photos that I didn't include in the post, you can check them out in the Prothonotary Warbler gallery of my website.

Thanks for looking,

Dan

Kentucky Warbler: Usually Heard but Not Seen

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Mon, 19 Jun 2017 23:23:38 GMT

On my quest of photographing warblers this spring I did have the opportunity to photograph a few seldom seen, or rare birds. I decided to single out a few species because of their rarity and/or their beauty. The first photo blog, published on June 4th, was about the Golden-winged Warbler. Today's photo blog is about the Kentucky Warbler.

The Kentucky Warbler is a small, brightly colored warbler whose loud song can be heard in the undergrowth of eastern deciduous forests. They spend most of their time on the ground in moist, leafy woodlands searching for insects. Despite its bright colors, the dark shadows of the forest keeps them well hidden. Kentucky WarblerMale

I was so fortunate to find a male Kentucky Warbler on a few occasions and photograph them in the middle of their song. You can see in the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's range map below, northern Pennsylvania nears the end of the Kentucky Warbler's breeding range. Prior to 1940, the Kentucky Warbler's breeding range ended in southern Pennsylvania but the creation of breeding habitats expanded their range.

Kentucky WarblerMale

KentuckyWarblerRangeMap

The main diet of the Kentucky Warbler consists of various insects including moths, bugs, ants, grasshoppers, beetles, caterpillars, aphids, grubs, and spiders, plus a few berries. Kentucky WarblerMale

I was able to get some images of this beauty on the edge of some pretty thick shrubs along a large tract of deciduous forest. Kentucky WarblerMale

We in Pennsylvania get to enjoy the presence of the Kentucky Warbler for another two months. They begin to leave their breeding ground in August.

Kentucky WarblerMale

The Kentucky Warbler sings a loud springtime song but he usually sings from a secluded perch. When you hear him sing, it's hard to believe they are such a shy and elusive bird.

Kentucky Warbler

Their survival story isn't much different from other beautiful warblers on this planet. This species is declining and one reason is the clearing of forests. Loss of habitat is also happening on their wintering grounds. As forests are broken up into smaller patches, they become vulnerable to cowbird parasitism. Brown-headed Cowbirds do not raise their own young. Instead, they lay their eggs in other species' nests allowing them to be raised by the other species. There are several reasons parasitism hurts the survival of the other species of birds like the Kentucky Warbler.

If you would like to see more photo of Kentucky Warblers, check out my Kentucky Warbler gallery here.

Thanks for looking,

Dan

The Enjoyment of May and June Wildlife

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Thu, 15 Jun 2017 23:14:16 GMT

I was so busy in May and the first half of June photographing birds in the Warbler family. I'm sad that it's past but I'm also a little relieved because it required a lot of travel to get some new species. I will share the "fruits of my labor" in upcoming photo blogs but right now, I want to share many of the other encounters with wildlife that I enjoyed along the way.

Not going to be much reading in this one folks. I hope you enjoy these bonus photos as much as I enjoyed making them.

Black-billed Cuckoo (Centre County, PA) - Typically a treetop dweller, I was happy when this Black-billed Cuckoo came low enough for a decent photo. Black-billed Cuckoo

Black-crowned Night-Heron (Ottawa County, OH) - I photographed this Black-crowned Night-Heron in mid-day with a high, bright sun. Definitely not a choice I would make if I had any kind of clout with the wildlife. Ha ha! Apparently, they don't care what I want! Anyway, I watched him sit on a log for an hour or so before he decided to take a flight over the water to relieve himself and return. I don't know about other birds but these ones don't "poop" where they hunt for food. I was glad he had to go because it gave me an opportunity for some action photos. Black-crowned Night-Heron

Black-crowned Night-Heron (Ottawa County, OH) - In breeding season adults have two long white plumes on their heads. They are evident in the photo below. Black-crowned night herons don't have adult plumage until they are about three years old. Black-crowned Night-Heron

Black-crowned Night-Heron (Ottawa County, OH) - I have several more photos from this series. If you are interested, you can view them in my Avian/Heron/Black-crowned Night-Heron gallery. Black-crowned Night-Heron

Bobolink (Lawrence County, PA) - I found several Bobolink mixed with Meadowlark and some sparrows. The photo below is the female Bobolink.

BobolinkFemale

Bobolink (Lawrence County, PA) - Here is the male Bobolink in breeding plumage. BobolinkMale

Common Grackle (Ottawa County, OH) - Known to be a poor but spirited singer, the Common Grackle has to be proud of their iridescent plumage. Common Grackle

Dunlin (Ottawa County, OH) - First time I ever photographed this little shorebird Dunlin

Dunlin (Ottawa County, OH) - Mirror, Mirror! Dunlin

Eastern Towhee (Butler County, PA) - A vocal resident of our summer forest. It's a special photo opportunity when you can find the male and female together in one frame. Eastern TowheeMale & Female

Greater Yellowlegs (Ottawa County, OH) - Taking a break on a mound in the marsh. Greater Yellowlegs

Green Heron (Centre County, PA) Green Heron

Green Heron chicks (Crawford County, PA) - A friend called me about a Green Heron nest in a nearby yard. Height and leaves made photography difficult but it was neat to see. Green HeronNestling

Henslow's Sparrow (Clarion County, PA) Henslow's Sparrow

Hermit Thrush (Forest County, PA) - The Hermit Thrush has an interesting courtship behavior. For the first two days after arriving to his springtime breeding grounds, he attacks and chases the female. If she remains beyond the two days, a union is formed. Hermit Thrush

Philadelphia Vireo (Ottawa County, OH) - This guy looks very much like the Warbling Vireo pictured later in this photo blog. The most noticeable difference is the yellow wash on the chin and chest of the Philadelphia Vireo.

Philadelphia Vireo

Raccoon (Ottawa County, OH) - Magee Marsh has more than birds. Raccoon

Red Squirrel (Butler County, PA) Red Squirrel

Red-headed Woodpecker (Mahoning County, OH) - Parks and golf courses are a good place to find this species of woodpecker. I found them on a golf course in an Ohio Metro Park. This one was looking for worms on the ground. Red-headed Woodpecker

Red-headed Woodpecker (Mahoning County, OH) - I think this is one of the most beautiful reds in nature. Red-headed Woodpecker

Red-winged Blackbird (Lawrence County, PA) - Even though they are plentiful, it's fun to capture a portrait showing his colors. Red-winged BlackbirdMale

Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Forest County, PA) - He just appeared. I had my back turned and I heard a chink sound that sounded like a sneaker on a gym floor. I finally looked to see who was doing all the talking and there he was. He must have heard a photographer was in town! Rose-breasted GrosbeakMale

Ruddy Turnstone (Ottawa County, OH) - There are about 350 species of shorebirds in the world, but there are only 2 turnstones, the Ruddy Turnstone and the Black Turnstone, both of which occur in North America. This one had his face buried in the pebbles of the Lake Erie shore when a wave came in. Ruddy TurnstoneMale

Ruddy Turnstone (Ottawa County, OH) - The turnstone gets its name from its habit of turning over stones when it looks for food. It is also sometimes called the seaweed bird because it often feeds among the kelp at low tide.

Ruddy TurnstoneMale

Scarlet Tanager Male (Indiana County, PA) - A beautiful tanager with a difficult plumage color to photograph. The light needs to be just right to correctly expose the male Scarlet Tanager. Some of my photographs depict a bright red to an orange at times. It really doesn't matter. It's just a pleasure to see a Scarlet Tanager in branches low enough for a portrait. Scarlet TanagerMale

Scarlet Tanager Female (Indiana County, PA) - Sometimes a guy can get lucky and have the mating pair show themselves. Too bad they weren't in the same frame like the Eastern Towhee earlier in this photo blog. Scarlet TanagerFemale

Tree Swallow (Ottawa County, OH) - There were several Tree Swallow nesting trees located at Magee Marsh. Tree Swallow

Warbling Vireo (Ottawa County, OH) - Looks like a warbler except for the beak. Warbling Vireo

White-tailed Deer (Jefferson County, PA) - This doe was crossing a gas line cut over the hills. The fawn was so small I had to wait for it to get into shorter grass to see it. White-tailed DeerDoe with fawn

White-tailed Deer (Jefferson County, PA) - Another view as they turned up the hill. White-tailed DeerDoe with fawn

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Female (Forest County, PA) - This spring is the first time I ever photographed a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. The sapsucker is in the woodpecker family. Yellow-bellied SapsuckerFemale (White Chin)

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Male (Forest County, PA) - The irregular rhythm of sapsucker drumming reminds a person of the beat of Morse Code. Yellow-bellied SapsuckerMale (Red Chin)

Well, that's it for now. I saw all that wildlife while in search of warblers. During all those travels, I wonder what was hiding in the bushes that I didn't see. Hmmm, I think I'll have to go back!

Thanks for looking,

Dan

Golden-winged Warbler: A Golden Opportunity

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Sun, 04 Jun 2017 23:39:37 GMT

The Golden-winged Warbler is a gorgeous species of wood warbler. Its rarity and threatened existence makes it a great find for birders and wildlife photographers. I had a wonderful and extremely fortunate opportunity to photograph Golden-winged Warblers on two occasions this spring. I hope you enjoy these photographs because it is a bird you may never see unless you are in the correct habitat and are specifically looking for it.

The Golden-winged Warbler is a slivery-gray bird with a golden crown and wing accents. Males have a bold black-and-white face pattern. Females are similar but lack the black face and bib.

Golden-winged WarblerMale

Blue-winged WarblerMale

Once common in the northeast, the Golden-winged has been declining recently in southern parts of its breeding range. As it disappears, its close relative the Blue-winged Warbler has been advancing north. It is not completely understood why the Blue-winged is driving the Golden-winged out of the best habitats.

Hybridization is another element in the sharp decline of Golden-winged Warblers. The Blue-winged Warbler is a much more aggressive and dominant bird. These two species are known to hybridize where they share breeding grounds. Their hybrid offspring are known as a “Brewster’s” Warbler and “Lawrence’s” Warbler. Sorry, I don’t have photos of a hybrid to share. However, here is a brief description of the two hybrids as explained on the Cornell Lab of Ornithology website. “These can be variable, but “Brewster’s” Warbler is mostly gray and white with a yellow forehead, like a Golden-winged Warbler, but has a black line through the eye instead of the stronger face pattern of the Golden-winged. “Lawrence’s” Warbler has yellow overall, like a Blue-winged, but shows the Golden-winged Warbler’s black mask and throat patch.”

Back to the Golden-winged Warbler.

Golden-winged WarblerMale

This beautiful species breed in dense, tangled, shrubby habitats such as regenerating clearcuts, wet thickets, and tamarack bogs. Tamarack is a very cold tolerant evergreen also known as Hackmatack, Eastern Larch, Black Larch, Red Larch, American Larch, or Juniper. Wildfires, flooding from beaver dams, and tornado destruction are a few ways shrubby openings amid a forested landscape are created. Once their young have fledged, they move into nearby woodlands. Golden-winged WarblerMale

In the early 20th century, habitat for the Golden-winged Warbler was common when settlers cleared land for homes and farming. Many of those areas have grown back into forests. Wildfires and beaver dams are more controlled these days preventing natural habitat to be formed.

Golden-winged WarblerMale

With about half of the global Golden-winged Warbler population being in Minnesota, I realize how fortunate I am to have spent some time photographing them.

Golden-winged WarblerMale

GoldenWingedWarblerRangeMap

At only 5.1 inches long and weighing a mere 0.3 - 0.4 ounces, they make it all the way to open woodlands and shade-coffee plantations of mountainous Central and South America for the winter.

You can see in the range map to the left the Golden-winged Warbler is a long-distance migrant. With migration movement peaking in September, they travel south mainly through a corridor of states east of the Mississippi River and west of the Appalachians. Spring migration and their return north begins in April but they don't arrive in Pennsylvania until early May.

Golden-winged WarblerMale

Golden-winged Warblers often hop along branches of brushy and shrubby areas, carefully checking each leaf for prey, even sometimes dangling off the edges of branches like a chickadee.

Golden-winged WarblerMale Golden-winged WarblerMale

So what are they searching for? Food items they prefer are caterpillars, spiders, moths and other insects. Leafroller caterpillars appear to be an important food source. Golden-winged Warblers probe with their sharp bills into rolled-up leaves to find the hidden caterpillars. They rarely catch insects while in flight.

Golden-winged WarblerMale

Males sing a loud, very distinguishable, buzzy song from the tops of shrubs in spring and early summer. Interestingly, hybrids do not sing their own songs. Instead they sing either normal Blue-winged Warbler songs, Golden-winged Warbler songs, or both. One thing I needed to be aware of when I was searching the correct habitat of Golden-winged Warblers was I couldn’t rely on song for a positive identification. Sometimes, pure-looking parental types sing the "wrong" song. The Golden-winged in the photo below was singing the correct song for his species.

Golden-winged WarblerMale

Males are extremely vocal for 3 to 4 weeks at the start of their breeding season. They will confront other males in their territory, sometimes actually fighting. Golden-winged WarblerMale

Only after territories and mates are selected do they become secretive and quiet.

Golden-winged WarblerMale Golden-winged WarblerMale

Are you interested in their nesting activity? The female Golden-winged builds the nest, usually on the ground. The nest is built at the base of a plant with a tall thick stem such as Golden Rod or Blackberry for support. The base is made up of leaves and long strips of bark from a grapevine or arrowwood. Nests are 3.5 to 6 inches across and 1 to 2.5 inches deep. The female is very sensitive. If disturbed, they are known to abandon their nest even after the first eggs have been laid. They will also try to trick predators. As a decoy, they will carry food to places other than their nest.

Golden-winged WarblerMale Golden-winged WarblerMale

The Audubon Society has a climate model that projects a shift of their breeding range completely out of their current breeding range by 2080. The summer range is expected to more than double thankfully to efforts of creating second-growth habitats. Since it doesn’t take long for the habitat to become established, there is hope that the Golden-winged Warbler will move with the climate space. There is more good news amongst all the sad news of their declining population.

Cornell Lab and their partners in the Golden-winged Warbler Working Group have a conservation plan to stop their decline and continue to grow the population by 50% by the year 2050. Golden-winged WarblerMale

These warblers will be around throughout my lifetime but I sure hope, with preservation efforts in place, children of today and all future generations will be able to enjoy these birds too.

Here is another example displaying their habits of hanging upside down from the end of tree limbs. This time he is singing his song.

Golden-winged WarblerMale

Research for this photo blog included Cornell Lab of Ornithology, National Audubon Society, Birds of Pennsylvania, and Stokes Field Guide to Warblers. Photography equipment used was a Canon EOS-1DX MK II and a Canon EF 600mm f/4L II USM Lens. In some photos I may have also used a Canon Extender EF 1.4X III rendering a f/5.6, 840mm focal length.

Thanks for looking,

Dan

A Brief Lake Erie Shore Morning

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Tue, 30 May 2017 22:11:06 GMT

In the second half of April, the Lake Erie shoreline in Conneaut, Ohio had a special visitor called an American White Pelican. I wanted to make the 2.5 hour trip several times but timing never worked out for me. Finally I had a free morning and with a sighting within the previous 24 hours, I was pretty hopeful that I was going to come home with American White Pelican photographs.

It wasn’t meant to be. While waiting for a pelican sighting, I had several other species of birds to photograph so the day was not lost.

Upon arriving to the shore, I noticed this juvenile Bald Eagle walking along the beach in an area where dead fish wash up on the sand. Bald EagleJuvenile

I’ve photographed Caspian Tern many times at Conneaut but this day was going to be special. There was a flock of probably 200 Caspian Tern. Well, let’s face it, 150 tern and 350 tern look pretty much the same when they are flying around. Let’s just say there were a lot. I held the shutter button down when several of them took off at one time. Caspian Tern

If I was looking for a quiet, soothing day at the shore, I was badly mistaken. The Caspian Tern wanted to vocalize. Usually, many at once. Caspian Tern

There was a lot more than raspy squawking going on. These two were preparing to mate right in front of all the other terns. Caspian Tern

You would think the previous photo would make the other tern jealous. Seems like flying by with a fish in your mouth causes more excitement. Caspian Tern

Because I don’t get to see many species of tern, I still need to look some up to confirm identification. I almost dismissed this smaller tern that was there in very few numbers. There were about three Forster’s Tern mixed in with the Caspian Tern. While the northeastern United States is in the migration path of the Caspian Tern, range maps show the Forster’s Tern is not. Forster's Tern

I mentioned earlier that a fish causes quite a ruckus when it’s being paraded around the flock in the mouth of a Caspian Tern. Caspian Tern

It was fun to watch how the other tern reacted when the “owner of the fish” came close by. Some vocalized while others tried to steal the food. Caspian Tern

Caspian Tern

Once I saw the Forster’s Tern in flight, I knew I had something special. I’ll be honest, I still didn’t know what it was. I wish I would have spent more time photographing this rare find but the next few images are the last ones I got before it flew to another part of the beach and I ran out of time.

Now I know the forked tail is the major identifying mark of a Forster's Tern. Forster's Tern

Forster's Tern

One of my last sights before leaving the beach that morning was an immature Ring-billed Gull catching a fish. Well, that’s not really a big deal. It was interesting because the fish was too big for the gull to lift off. Using its wings, it swam about 30 yards to the shoreline in front of me stopping and covering its prey every time another bird flew past. Ring-billed GullImmature

Double-crested Cormorants are a skittish bird. I spotted this lone cormorant on a large pond near the harbor so I stopped for a few photos. Double-crested Cormorant

Double-crested Cormorant

That ended my morning watching for the American White Pelican. Maybe next time I’ll react a little quicker when another one migrates off-track and visits a near-by shore.

Thanks for looking,

Dan

Bald Eagle Eaglet: Two Weeks Later

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Thu, 18 May 2017 23:00:05 GMT

The Bald Eagle nesting season is almost over in western Pennsylvania. I thought this is a good time to reflect on two separate visits I made to an Ohio nest about 65 miles west of the Pennsylvania border.

This nest is very unique because the nest tree is situated on a hillside below the road giving birders and photographers a short 70 yard view into the bole of the nest.

On my first visit the single eaglet was a mere two weeks old. Bald EagleFemale and Eaglet

While one adult was away from the nest most of the time, the mate was usually on the nest or perched nearby. Here is a rare occurrence when the eaglet was alone and gave its wings a stretch. Bald EagleEaglet

Below is the male sitting on the nest with the eaglet. Normally, you can identify the female because she is larger than the male. that is true but this female also has a darkening behind and around her eyes. You will see that in later photos. Bald EagleMale and Eaglet

The quality of care a Bald Eagle provides for its young is impressive. Here is “Dear Ol’ Dad” giving warmth to the inquisitive eaglet. Bald EagleMale and Eaglet

I think the eaglet feels safe with its father. Bald EagleMale and Eaglet

Bald EagleMale and Eaglet

At this age, eaglets are fed quite often. I imaging it’s because their little bellies can’t hold much food. Dad was already on the nest when his mate arrived with a half eaten fish. Bald EagleMale, Female (behind) and Eaglet down in nest

Shortly after mom arrives, the male leaves the nest.

Bald EagleMale, Female and eaglet down in nest

It’s time for a feeding.

Bald EagleFemale feeding Eaglet

That was the end of my first visit. I planned a return soon to see how much the eaglet grew.

I did return to the nest site two weeks later when the eaglet was four weeks old. Look at the difference in size in a short two weeks.

Bald Eagle

Even though it was much larger, it is still dependent on an adult to tear apart the food. The next photo is mom feeding the eaglet.

Bald EagleFemale and Eaglet

After feeding, the adult fluffs up the grasses in the bole and lays down on top of the eaglet usually causing the eaglet to rest and maybe go to sleep.

Bald Eagle

Sometimes the eaglet may take a nap and sometimes it stays alert.

Bald Eagle

It is comical watching the eaglet maneuver around the nest because it hasn’t grown into its feet yet.

Bald Eagle

It will be quite some time until these wings are large enough and strong enough to take it soaring into the sky.

Bald Eagle

At this age, it seemed like a change of guardian occurred every 2 hours. Bald EagleFemale and Male in nest.

Here is mom and eaglet sitting on the nest.

Bald EagleFemale and Eaglet

I imagine it can get boring waiting for the eaglet to grow up and fledge the nest.

Bald EagleFemale and Eaglet

After a nap, it’s feeding time.

Bald EagleFemale and Eaglet

When the eaglet was two weeks old, I decided to shoot video of the eaglet being fed. As I was adding a 2X extender to my 600mm prime lens, they finished feeding. As I began the video, I captured the “after feeding” activity of the parent showing how they prepare the bole for nap time. The second part of this video was recorded two weeks later when the eaglet was four weeks old. This time I did capture the eaglet being fed.

Click the link below to start the video. It may take 10 seconds or so to buffer so please be patient after you press start. Bald Eagle Bald Eagle

Now that the eaglet is getting larger, it gets a little more alone time on the nest. Below is a photo of the female leaving the nest in route to a nearby branch.

Bald EagleFemale

She spent nearly 45 minutes alone on the branch.

Bald EagleFemale

As her mate approached the nest, she left her perch to explore the surrounding countryside.

Bald EagleFemale

It was dad’s turn to babysit.

Bald EagleMale and Eaglet

I’ll wrap up this photo blog with a portrait of the eaglet with its father.

Bald EagleMale and Eaglet

Thanks for looking,

Dan

Great Horned Owl: One of Pennsylvania's Earliest Nesters

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Mon, 15 May 2017 01:21:38 GMT

Great-horned OwlButler County, PA

Speaking of adopting the nests of other birds, I witnessed a very obvious example of that in April, 2013. While visiting a local Heron Rookery I noticed a strange formation in one of the nests. After a closer look, I realized it was two Great Horned Owl nestlings. Since the owl picks their nest much earlier than the heron, they were mixed into the colony. Talk about keeping your enemies close. Great Horned Owl Nestlings & Great Blue HeronThe Great Horned Owl nests mostly in stick nests from other birds. These Owletes are in the middle of a Great Blue Heron rookery.

The Great Horned Owl is a powerful predator that can take down birds and mammals larger than itself but they also attack smaller targets such as mice and frogs.

On this March 12th visit, I got my first glimpse of the owlet as it was getting attention from the hen. The remaining images are from Butler County until I note a change.

Great-horned OwlButler County, PA

The warm sunlight of March 12th was comforting for the sleepy hen.

Great-horned OwlButler County, PA

As the evening of March 13th was upon us, the sun disappeared and the hen became more active. She was beginning to make short flights away from the nest.

Great-horned OwlButler County, PA

I stayed at the nest all evening on March 16th with hopes of seeing the growing baby. It showed itself but I had to reposition myself to get a good view.

Great-horned OwlButler County, PA

The location of this nest was positioned in good photography sunlight only about one hour in the evening. Otherwise, it came from undesirable directions causing shadows. I returned on March 22nd in hopes to find the owlet covered in sunlight.

Great-horned OwlButler County, PA

This photo was on March 25th minutes after the hen fed the baby. You can see a little piece of meat still stuck on her beak.

Great-horned OwlButler County, PA

After changing position once again, I got a great family portrait on March 25th. I use the word "family" loosely because the father isn't in the photo. I assure you he was a provider but I never saw him. In the early evening he would call to the hen from deep in the woods. She always responded but I never saw him.

Great-horned OwlButler County, PA

As the owlet grew the hen was seldom in the nest. However, she didn't perch nearby either. The previous photo was the last time I saw the hen. The next photo was made on March 27th.

Great-horned OwlButler County, PA

Since these "used" nests deteriorate over the course of the breeding season and are usually not reused in later years, I look forward to next February to see if anything occupies this nest.

The lone owlet fledged within days after this April 5th photo.

Great-horned OwlButler County, PA

Here is a short video compilation of the Butler County owl nest from February to late in the nesting season.

Great Horned Owl Nesting Great Horned Owl Nesting

Back to the nest in Erie, PA. This nest is in the top of a dead tree stump. The stump is about 20 feet tall and has been reused year after year. I don't know its history but I know it's been at least three years that I've known about the nest.

The remaining photos were made on my last trip to Presque Ilse on April 14th.

This nest is in a location that provides an opportunity for anyone to witness the growth of Great Horned Owl nestlings. Situated a short distance from a paved bike path it is easily wheelchair accessible. The owls don't seem to mind and people respect the wildlife by keeping their distance. Actually, you are not allowed to exit the path and "Big Brother" is watching.

Great-horned OwlPresque Isle in Erie, PA

Speaking for myself, during the longs stays at the nest I am hoping for one thing. I want to photograph interaction between the owlets or between a parent and the owlets. That's it! If I only wanted a portrait like the one above, I would be in and out in 30 minutes.

It looks like the photographers and other onlookers might be a little boring for the owlets.

Great-horned OwlPresque Isle in Erie, PA

The hen is usually found perching in a dense grove of Hemlock trees near the nest. On this evening she came out and flew to a few different perches.

Great-horned OwlPresque Isle in Erie, PA

From what I've heard, the hen is around the nest more than the male owl. However, we were greeted by both on this day. Below is the male perched at the opposite edge of the woods line.

Great-horned OwlPresque Isle in Erie, PA

The growing owlets are comical and fun to watch. I didn't shoot any video at this nest because there are too many people talking and I prefer to have a little seclusion for video.

Great-horned OwlPresque Isle in Erie, PA

The sun had already set when the hen finally came to the nest. The family didn't strike an award winning pose on the nest but I finally had the opportunity to see the hen with the owlets.

Great-horned OwlPresque Isle in Erie, PA

As the skies darkened, I managed one more photo while the hen was feeding in the corner of the nest.

Great-horned OwlPresque Isle in Erie, PA

Both of these owlets fledged the nest within the first 5 days of May ending a successful breeding season once again.

Thanks for looking,

Dan

Spring Wildlife of Pennsylvania

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Tue, 09 May 2017 23:57:12 GMT

Each year during April and May I don't get enough sleep, I don't do as much around the yard, and I do a lot of traveling. Why? It's because spring is here and wildlife photo opportunities are abundant.

Most of my blogs have a theme or a story to tell but occasionally I just want to share some photos that shouldn't be missed. I want to use this blog entry to share a variety of April and May wildlife photos.

This Eastern Gray Squirrel was peering at me from the safety of a tall walnut tree.

Eastern Gray Squirrel

This was the first Eastern Towhee I saw this spring. He was singing a lot.

Eastern TowheeMale

We do have Common Loon in our surrounding lakes during the spring migration.

Common Loon

Common Loon are difficult to photograph without a blind. If you get too close they dive underwater. With the ability to stay under water over a minute in normal conditions, who knows how far away it will be when it surfaces. Common Loon

The Red-winged Blackbird is the harbinger of spring in western Pennsylvania. Sounding off while displaying their "coat of arms" is a common springtime occurrence.

Red-winged Blackbird

The Tree Swallow is commonly seen flying swiftly a couple feet above the water's surface searching for insects. It's nice when they can be found sitting on a nice perch.

Tree Swallow

I love the colors of a Blue-winged Teal in flight.

Blue-winged TealDrake

I had several male Blue-winged Teal swimming around me on this day.

Blue-winged TealDrake

I had fun trying to capture them in flight.

Blue-winged TealDrake

The Northern Shoveler has a long, spoon-shaped bill which has comblike projections along its edges to filter out food from the water.

Northern Shoveler

I have to admit that identifying sandpipers and sparrows is not my best skill. This next photo is of a Pectoral Sandpiper. It was the first time I ever photographed one so, in birder's terms, I got another "lifer".

Pectoral Sandpiper

One identification mark of the Greater Yellowlegs is its long, upturned bill.

Greater Yellowlegs

It hasn't been long since this guy dropped his antlers. Before long, they will begin to grow again.

White-tailed DeerYoung Buck

I photographed this female House Sparrow in my backyard Redbud tree. It adopted one of my bluebird nesting boxes.

House SparrowFemale

Blue Jay in a Redbud tree. I love the contrast of colors. Blue Jay

I know of a Red Fox den but during the infrequent times I could get there, I was only treated with a visit by the vixen.

Red FoxVixen

She laid in her spot for about 20 minutes before getting up and probably wondering why I'm still here.

Red FoxVixen

After moving further back into the dense brush, she sat, gazing into the distance.

Red FoxVixen

The Blue-gray Gnatcatcher is a beautiful springtime songbird returning to nest in Pennsylvania.

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

Carolina Wren, one of the first birds I hear chirping before the sun comes up.

Carolina Wren

I love the sweet song of an Eastern Meadowlark. This was a special treat finding several in a field of Dandelion.

Eastern Meadowlark

They are tough to capture in flight.

Eastern Meadowlark

The Northern Mockingbird is one of the best mimics in Pennsylvania.

Northern Mockingbird

This female Northern Flicker came by for a visit. A male looks similar but he has a black Mustache under the eyes.

Northern FlickerFemale

American Goldfinch takes a break to sing. American Goldfinch

Thanks for looking,

Dan

A Morning in the Marsh

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Sat, 29 Apr 2017 20:04:55 GMT

It’s tough to get up at 6 AM Monday through Friday to go to work after getting to bed close to the midnight hour the night before. By the weekend, your butt is dragging and the thought of sleeping in Saturday morning until 7 or 8 o’clock is really nice. It doesn’t work that way if you like to photograph wildlife.

On Saturday, April 8th, my alarm sounded at 5 AM to signal the start of my day. With sleepy eyes, I stumbled into the shower to help regain consciousness. Once the numbness went away, I remembered why I was torturing myself like that.

Torture is a strong word to describe waking up early to set up in a photo blind along a marsh soon to be visited by various species of waterfowl. It is amazing to have the likes of Wood Duck, Hooded Merganser, Bufflehead, Ring-necked Duck and other species swim within 20 feet of your lens while being unaware that you are there.

This photo blog documents one morning in April in a photo blind, at a marsh in Butler County, Pennsylvania.

I met up with my friend Jake Dingel before sunrise that Saturday morning and we entered the woods on our way to a marsh that is adjacent to a large pond. Once we were set up in our separate photo blinds, we waited. There were Canada Geese present on the pond already but it was too dark to get a quality photograph. Besides, once they calmed down after our rude interruption, they floated around as though we were no longer there.

Then the sun began to rise.

Canada Goose

Not long after we set up, waterfowl sightings began to increase. In a darker section of the pond was a diving and resurfacing Pied-billed Grebe.

Pied-billed Grebe

After a short sit, the sun rose and lit up the pond in front of us. Jake set up his blind on one side of the pond and keeping the sun behind me, I set up mine about 40 yards away. Last years’ cattails separated our views of the water.

There were a few Ring-necked Ducks in the distance but they suddenly disappeared. Then the Canada Geese became very vocal. I received a text from Jake telling me to look in the big tree to the right of the pond. This was the reason for the commotion. Bald Eagle

There was about 15 minutes of quiet time until the Bald Eagle finally flew off. With its nest being within ¼ mile from the pond, I could see it in the distance throughout the morning.

With the eagle gone, activity began to pick up. This Ring-necked Duck pair were diving for food and eventually came near me. Notice the water on the head and bill of the female as she resurfaced. The waxy layer of a duck’s feathers causes a connection between her and the water surface as the rest rolled off like “water marbles”.

Ring-necked DuckDrake & Hen

I had a brief few seconds as both drake and hen were on the surface together.

Ring-necked DuckDrake & Hen

The first Wood Ducks of the morning came into view across the pond. After staying in a far section of the water, they swam close to a nesting box. The female flew up to investigate.

Wood DuckDrake & Hen

Over the course of the morning we saw several Wood Ducks. They would fly in, swim around the pond, and fly out. At one point a lone female Wood Duck landed on a stump in the water.

Wood DuckHen

Thanks to long, strong claws, the Wood Duck is one of the few species that can perch on branches. They are the only duck native to the United States and Canada to have that ability.

Wood DuckDrake & Hen

Most Wood Ducks were swimming in pairs or small rafts and occasionally, a male would go off by himself.

Wood DuckDrake

Drake and hen Wood Ducks surrounded by emerging Spatterdock leaves.

Wood DuckDrake & Hen

This small Canada Goose was getting chased around the pond all morning by mating pairs of geese.

Canada Goose

Finally, one of two pairs of Hooded Mergansers began to come our way. They spent most of the morning completely across the pond.

Hooded MerganserHen & Drake

By this time, there were several Wood Ducks spread across the pond.

Wood DuckDrake

This is one happy fellow!

Wood DuckDrake & two Hens

We had two female Buffleheads diving under the water all morning but there wasn't a male in sight.

BuffleheadHen

As the elusive Hooded Mergansers came closer, I had plenty of opportunity for portraits.

Hooded MerganserHen

Sometimes, the Hooded Mergansers would swim to my right heading toward Jake’s blind. Since cattails blocked his view, I’d text him to let him know they are coming and as soon as I pressed “send”, they would turn around and continue to entertain me. At one point Jake texted me to say, “You must have minnows in your pocket?”

Hooded MerganserDrake

This little female Wood Duck landed very close to my blind. She spun around quickly and watched my blind for about 10 seconds before taking off. This photo was made as she began to open her wings to take flight.

Wood DuckHen

Thanks for looking,

Dan

Sky Dancing Ritual of the American Woodcock

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Mon, 24 Apr 2017 00:49:21 GMT

The American Woodcock, also known as the timberdoodle, Labrador twister, night partridge, and bog sucker, are a superbly camouflaged bird against the leaf litter of the forest floor. While its subdued plumage and low-profile behavior make it hard to find, springtime is an exception.

WoodcockPhotographed at night during mating ritual

A male woodcock’s evening display flights are one of the magical natural sights of springtime in the east. Males sound off a buzzy peent call from a display area on the ground. Then he flies upward in a wide spiral and his wings begin to twitter as he gets higher. At a height of 200–350 feet the twittering becomes intermittent, and the bird starts to descend. He zigzags down in a steep dive back to the ground, chirping as he goes, landing silently near a female, if one is present. Once on the ground, he resumes peenting and the display starts over again.

WoodcockPhotographed at night during mating ritual

One evening in late March, my friend Jake Dingel and I set out to find the American Woodcock performing their mating display. We were successful and made plans to return with our photography equipment within a couple days. We returned two days later, joined by my wife Elena. Since it is dark outside when the performance begins, a flashlight is needed to illuminate the bird so the camera is able to focus. Elena did a great job locating and tracking the bird so we could photograph him.

After finding a lone male, we witnessed several performances over the next hour. We were able to get a few photographs and video but unable to include flying shots. Even in the daylight their fast flights would be difficult to capture so nighttime made it nearly impossible. WoodcockPhotographed at night during mating ritual

This video contains footage of the American Woodcock’s peent calls performed on the ground during their mating ritual activity. Listen carefully to the sounds of a springtime American Woodcock.

American Woodcock American Woodcock

Thanks for looking,

Dan

2017 Spring Waterfowl Migration In Full Swing

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Wed, 19 Apr 2017 21:37:08 GMT

I have written several blogs in the past sharing my spring waterfowl migration photos. For them, I’ve researched various facts to share with the accompanied photos. This photo blog entry is going to be a little different. Since these are all subjects I have written about in the past, I’m going to make this one easy on the mind. Yours and mine!

All of these photographs were made on a bright, sunny day in northwest Pennsylvania. Wild ducks are afraid of humans and you cannot walk up to them to get closeup portraits. This kind of wildlife photography takes work and not simply a walk in a park. It is common to use your vehicle as a photo blind. A vehicle doesn’t provide the lowest angle that one would hope for, getting the photographer at eye-level to the subject, but it is an acceptable tradeoff. Sometimes, you have to take what you can get. I hope you enjoy the photographs.

Sometimes, the Ring-necked Duck is mistaken for a Greater or Lesser Scaup. One quick way to tell the difference is the scaups do not have a white ring on their bills.

Ring-necked DuckDrake

The drake Greater Scaup has a blue-gray bill with a black tip.

Greater Scaup

The dabbling duck American Wigeon, is the New World counterpart of the Eurasian Wigeon.

American WigeonDrake

The American Wigeon has also been called “baldpate”.

American WigeonHen

A bird of open wetlands, the Northern Pintail is a brief visitor in Pennsylvania as they fly toward their breeding grounds in northern Canada.

Northern PintailHen & Drake

The chestnut head with large iridescent green patch makes the drake Green-winged Teal easily identifiable.

Green-winged TealDrake

The Tundra Swan is completely snowy white. The rusty-brown color sometimes seen on its head and neck is created by iron in marsh soils.

Tundra Swan

Here is a Northern Shoveler chasing the competition. There always seem to be more males than females in the water.

Northern Shoveler

These Northern Shovelers are showing a little more acceptance of each other.

Northern Shoveler

Below is a small flock of Northern Pintails flying.

Northern PintailDrake/Hen/Drake

Northern Pintail drake finding a place to land. Can you tell they are probably my favorite migrating duck?

Northern PintailDrake

Should that line of waterfowl in the distance be concerned while the juvenile Bald Eagle, standing on the ice, stares at them?

Bald Eagle

Thanks for looking,

Dan

A Foggy Day Turned Snowy

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Wed, 12 Apr 2017 21:04:33 GMT

Once November arrives, birders and wildlife photographers in western Pennsylvania begin to have hopes of seeing a Snowy Owl, our grand visitor from the north. When the weather gets bad in Canada, Snowy Owls will begin to head south but only far enough to find food. If you are lucky enough to find one, it will probably be a female or juvenile male. The pure white males tend to stay back to the north.

In January, 2015, I wrote a blog called Follow Me to Gull Point. In it I tried to take the readers on a journey to Gull Point at Presque Isle State Park in Erie, PA. I researched a lot of Snowy Owl information for that blog so I'm not going to repeat it in this one. If you would like to read Follow Me to Gull Point and learn Snowy Owl facts, click the link.

In this blog I'd like to tell the story of one day with a Snowy Owl. Bear with me because most of the story needs to be told before the photos can be seen.

It was the beginning of March and winter was passing without having a Snowy Owl photo opportunity within reasonable driving distance. Word got out in the birding world that there was a Snowy located on an Amish farm in Crawford County, about 1.5 hours away from me. I gave it a few days to see if it was passing through or if I would actually have a chance to photograph this one.

Birding reports were posted daily that the owl was still being seen. Crowds were beginning to gather daily and the owl was keeping its distance in the large expanse of fields. The Amish family was very friendly and even had family members posted as locators for the bird so visitors didn't have to go searching for something that might be a small white spec in a distant field. Birding ethics were displayed and monitored as to not stress the owl. Nobody was allowed to approach the bird and everyone was being watched by the landowners and local birders.

Finally, on Sunday March 19th, my wife Elena and I decided to go photograph the owl. As we drove north, the weather started getting worse. The rain ended and cold air crept in below the warmer air, creating fog. By the time we reached the farm it was fairly dark outside, there were only two vehicles there and the Snowy had flown over the crest of a hill and disappeared into the mist. It was only 1:00 in the afternoon.

A couple country roads divide the large farm so we drove around for about 20 minutes with no luck of spotting the owl. Finally, I parked at the same spot the owl was perched when we arrived. Since we missed lunch, we began searching the GPS for a local restaurant. A few minutes later a tractor pulled up beside me and the driver introduced himself as the property owner and asked where the owl was. I pointed him in the right direction and he drove up a farm access road into the field. When he reached the top, which was about 50 yards away, he waved for me to join him.

It was then I saw this owl, for the first time, perched about 80 yards away.

Snowy OwlCrawford County, PA

It sat on the fence post watching the field for rodents to eat.

Snowy OwlCrawford County, PA

I got plenty of photographs of the owl perched on the pole so I just stood and talked with the landowner. Eventually a friend of mine showed up and was also waved to the top of the hill. The wind picked up, it continued to get colder, and the fog began to lift. Soon, the owl flew away from us to a perch about 200 yards away. I thought it was a little closer but after checking Google Earth, I can confirm the 200 yard distance.

We continued to talk about the land, crowds that have been there and other idle chit chat. Finally the owl spotted a vole and left its perch to catch it.

Snowy OwlCrawford County, PA

It was still pretty dark but my shutter speed was high enough to catch the action.

Snowy OwlCrawford County, PA

It flew about 25 yards and sat down to eat.

Snowy OwlCrawford County, PA

Of course, the vole was devoured in seconds and the owl took flight again.

Snowy OwlCrawford County, PA

After making a large loop away from us, it returned to the perch 200 yards away.

Snowy OwlCrawford County, PA

A couple other people came and went while we continued to watch the owl. Eventually it left its perch again and this time it flew a big circle and flew right towards us.

Snowy OwlCrawford County, PA

My heart began pumping faster as the owl continued toward us.

Snowy OwlCrawford County, PA

It reached the original post where the landowner and I found it a few hours earlier, and sat down.

Snowy OwlCrawford County, PA

It seemed content again simply sitting on the pole.

Snowy OwlCrawford County, PA

About 30 minutes passed, I realized it was after six o'clock and we should head home.

What a lucky day we had. I believe we had the good luck because of the weather. I believe the owl hunted in mid-day because it was fairly dark outside and the rain, cold, and fog kept the people that would normally be there, at home. All in all, it was a great day!

Thanks for looking,

Dan

Wrapping Up Winter With Feathers and Fur

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Fri, 07 Apr 2017 00:02:22 GMT

Spring is in the air! Although the calendar says it's spring, we can't always count on springlike weather. One thing we can count on is waterfowl migration and preparation for wildlife babies.

On my pursuit of specific wildlife subjects I always manage to find other species of wildlife to photograph and share. That's what this photo blog entry is all about. I hope you enjoy the wildlife.

Horned Lark

In late February, Elena and I were visiting Presque Isle State Park in Erie, PA when we happened to see this Common Merganser drake sitting on a log in the middle of a channel of water connecting ponds.

Common MerganserDrake

Soon this Dark-eyed Junco will be heading back to its summer home of the western mountains or Canada. See you next winter little one!

Dark-eyed Junco

It's always a treat to see an albino White-tailed Deer. Albinism is a congenital condition defined by the absence of pigment, resulting in an all-white appearance and pink eyes. Animals with albinism tend not to survive long. They have poor eyesight and are easily seen, making them easy prey.

White-tailed DeerAlbino

One of the treats of visiting Presque Isle State Park from February through May is the presence of a Great Horned Owl nest no more than 15 feet above the ground. During our February visit, the hen was still sitting in the nest presumably incubating an egg or more.

Horned Larks seem to love fields right after the farmer spreads manure in the spring but they also find last years corn cobs a treat too.

Horned Lark

You know spring is near when the birds, like this Horned Lark, begin to sing.

Horned Lark

We had a long warm spell in February causing some birds to migrate north a little earlier than normal. This Killdeer probably didn't appreciate the short March deep freeze that gave us a blanket of snow across western Pennsylvania.

Killdeer

I was watching a local spot that I've seen Barred Owls when this female Red-bellied Woodpecker stopped by to say hello. By the way, I didn't see any Barred Owls on that day.

Red-bellied WoodpeckerFemale

On a cool, windy day at Pymatuning State Park I found this Red-tailed Hawk peering into the field; undisturbed by my presence.

Red-tailed Hawk

Here is another look at this beautiful albino White-tailed Deer. Sadly, I learned later in March that it was struck and killed by a vehicle.

White-tailed DeerAlbino

One of the draws of photographing waterfowl and songbirds in the spring is their magnificent colors. Females and non-breeding males, like these non-breeding Horned Grebe, are also mixed in.

Horned GrebeNon-Breeding

The American Pipit is a bird that I think most of us have never seen or simply ignored its presence. They winter in the southern United States and Mexico and breed in the far north in and around the Arctic Circle of Canada and Alaska making Pennsylvania a brief stopover.

American Pipit

The Wild Turkey puffs up and spreads its elaborate feathers to attract a mate.

Wild Turkey

I was heading home one evening after darkness had began to blanket the landscape. I found a small herd of doe in a field so I stopped to see if I could photograph any of them. A slow shutter speed was inappropriate for any movement so I raised the camera sensitivity level (i.e. ISO) and captured this doe intently watching me.

White-tailed Deer

Well, I hope you enjoyed this variety of wildlife photos I made during the waning days of winter. I'm working on a couple photographic projects that I will share at a later date. Okay, I'll give a hint. Owl be happy when I am finally able to share my experiences with you.

Thanks for looking,

Dan

Late Winter Bald Eagles

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Sat, 01 Apr 2017 23:26:29 GMT

The adult Bald Eagle begins fall migration when the northern lakes and rivers freeze over. Depending on their location, they migrate to the coast, large rivers near dams, or just about anywhere that the water doesn't freeze. Wind currents play a large role in the direction they take.

We are lucky in western Pennsylvania in that we usually don't have long freezes causing our Bald Eagles to leave. In fact, we have enough open water in the form of streams and rivers, that many eagles from the north stop here to live until spring. In recent years, there have been many eagles perched along streams below dam breasts. If there are public lands or a road nearby, people can also be found photographing them.

This next group of photos were made in Mercer County along a stream where eagles could be seen on a daily basis.

Bald Eagle

This adult watches as a nearby juvenile feeds on a fish.

Bald Eagle

Once they reach this point of maturity, their white head feathers will fill in quickly.

Bald Eagle

Over the years, I have grown to like juvenile Bald Eagles. They don't have the impressive white head and tail of an adult but they do have that same intimidating look.

Bald Eagle

Another juvenile tearing apart a small remaining part of a fish.

Bald Eagle

In the afternoon, an eagle can sit in one spot for hours making a photographer wonder if they should move on or wait it out.

Bald Eagle

"The Thinking Bridge" I need one of those once in a while!

Bald Eagle

Finally, ready to go!

Bald Eagle

Late winter is also when Bald Eagles in western Pennsylvania begin to plan for their nesting season. Instinctively, they begin to shore up their nests with additional sticks. I was photographing this nest after an invitation by my friend Jake Dingel. We watched as this male flew back and forth a few times to bring back sticks.

Bald Eagle

Off to get one more stick!

Bald Eagle

He's back with another. It looks like there are plenty of sticks on that nest already. Maybe eagles are like some people and need to have the biggest house! Ha ha!

Bald Eagle

We watched and this large female nearing adulthood came into the nest. She had quite a temper.

Bald Eagle

As long as she sat there, the male didn't come back.

Bald Eagle

Thanks for looking,

Dan

Floppy Wingbeats of the Short-eared Owl

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Thu, 09 Mar 2017 23:43:58 GMT

The Short-eared Owl is an open-country hunter, much unlike forest-dwelling owls. They live in open terrain making them easier to see than most other owls and the best part is, especially for photography, they are often active during daylight hours, especially at dawn and dusk. They are a very interesting hunter to watch as they fly low over the fields with floppy wingbeats somewhat resembling a giant moth. The Short-eared Owl is often referred to as a marsh owl.

This is a compilation of my Short-eared Owl photographs made in the early months of 2017. As usual, I like to toss in some information regarding the habits and habitat all while sharing my experiences. I hope you enjoy the Short-eared Owl.

We were gaining a couple minutes of daylight with each passing day so I was unsure when the owls would begin to fly. Most of the time they began to fly around the fields shortly before sunset leaving a short time for photography. On this one day, with sunset an hour and 15 minutes away, I was very happy to see the owls in the air while the light was still good for photography.

On a side note, in many of these images you will see cornstalks standing in a tee-pee formation called a "Corn Shock". This is a practice followed by the Amish community to dry the stocks to be used at a later time for livestock bedding and other purposes.

Short-eared Owl

Of course, as I sit here in my Pennsylvania home, the Short-eared Owls that I enjoyed photographing in January and February are already on their way north to their preferred nesting grounds.

There are exceptions though. If the food is good, some may remain to breed. They nest in slight depressions in the earth or sand lined with grasses, weed stalks and feathers. They also use bushes or clumps of weeds to hide the nest where the female lays 4-7 eggs.

ShortEardOwlRangeMap

As you can see in the map to the left, Pennsylvania is designated as a winter (non-breeding) location.

Short-eared Owls have a wide global distribution and can travel long distances over vast expanses of ocean. Witnesses have reported seeing these owls descending on ships hundreds of miles from land.

The map to the left is from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology website.

Aside from its North American range, the map also shows they are year-round residents of South America. Not included on the map are Eurasia, and many oceanic islands, including Hawaii.

Here is an interesting note: a Short-eared Owl subspecies, the Hawaiian owl or pueo (pronounced Poo-E-O), is Hawaii's only native owl. It is said that Pueos may have descended from Alaska ancestors, taking hold in the islands after the first arriving Polynesians brought owl food in the form of the Pacific rat.

When not flying and looking for food, you can find Short-eared Owls sitting on a short perch or on the ground.

Short-eared Owl

It was such an enjoyable time watching these owls hunt the cleared corn fields. The goal was to catch them on a close fly-by. There was only one other photographer watching these birds on this one evening and we were treated with several close encounters.

I followed this bird as it flew past at a distance of approximately 50 yards.

Short-eared Owl

I followed in my lens and didn't stop shooting even when it disappeared behind a Corn Shock. I was lucky to have its head framed in a small opening as it flew through the other side.

Short-eared Owl

Here is the last frame as it continued to fly past me.

Short-eared Owl

With their broad, rounded wings and short tail, the Short-eared Owl is considered a medium-sized owl. They look very large in the images of this photo blog but consider this... they are about the same size as the American Crow. See the size information below from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology website.

American Crow

American Crow

Length: 15.7–20.9 in

Wingspan: 33.5–39.4 in

Weight: 11.1–21.9 oz

Short-eared Owl

Length: 13.4–16.9 in

Wingspan: 33.5–40.6 in

Weight: 7.3–16.8 oz

I watched this owl fly around for a little while before it landed on this leaning fence post about 50 yards away. The photo on the left was made just after the owl fluffed up and "shook the dust off". It looks very proud in the photo on the right.

Short-eared Owl

The images I'm sharing with you in this photo blog weren't made in one evening. This compilation was created over several days in one to two hour photography sessions. Wildlife isn't very predictable. Some days the owls began to fly later than other days and on a couple occasions, I didn't see an owl until it was too dark for photography. One aspect I was grateful for is there were four owls occupying this location. It was short lived but they gave us many opportunities.

Short-eared Owl

When Short-eared Owls roost during the day, they tend to practice a communal roosting behavior. One day, a fellow photographer and I visited the field about 3 in the afternoon. Standing roughly 80 yards away from the Corn Shocks, we used binoculars to thoroughly search each one for roosting owls. After finding two inside or on the Corn Shocks, I continued to look on the ground and found the other two all within 25 yards of each other.

You can see in the photos below that they blend in well with their surroundings.

Short-eared Owl	Short-eared Owl
Short-eared Owl	Short-eared Owl

This is a cell phone image of the field and Corn Shocks where the owls were roosting. I don't expect you to be able to see the owls. That's the point I want to make! They are very well hidden.

Here is a short video that gives you another chance to get a look at the four owls roosting in the corn and on the ground. It contains a short clip of each owl and yes, it was very windy!

Short-eared Owls Short-eared Owls

Short-eared Owls like large, open areas with low vegetation like prairies, meadows, tundra, marshes, dunes, and agricultural areas. Their winter habitat is similar, but is more likely to include large open areas within woodlots, stubble fields, fresh and saltwater marshes, weedy fields, dumps, gravel pits, rock quarries, and shrub thickets.

Short-eared Owl

As you can see in many of the photographs, the Short-eared Owl hunts by flying low over the ground, often hovering before dropping on prey. It is reported that they find prey mostly by sound; sight is secondary. They are a fairly silent owl but occasionally sounds an emphatic, sneezy bark, "keaw keaw", or a hooting call can be heard.

Short-eared Owl

The short-eared owl’s ear tufts are small and hard to see, but its ear openings are large and its hearing is excellent.

Short-eared Owl

Although you can't tell, owls have long skinny necks. Their long, thick feathers make it look short and fat. Because of that long neck and the fact that a bird's head is only connected by one socket pivot, they can twist that long neck about 270 degrees without moving their shoulders. I suppose that helps to accommodate for the fact that their eyes are fixed inside their heads. They cannot roll their eyes around as humans do. In order to look around, they have to move their entire head.

Short-eared Owl

During the winter, they favor low-light conditions which is unfortunate for wildlife photographers. It is fun to watch and photograph these owls flying low over the ground, sometimes hovering briefly. I used a Canon 1DX MKII, Canon 600mm f/4L IS II, and a Canon 1.4 teleconverter III for all of the owl photos this season. That equipment handles low light very well but it is still a challenge. The test is to manage shutter speed with ISO (camera sensor sensitivity) for the best image quality possible. Whenever I get home and delete 900 out of 1000 photos I realize how much improvement I have yet to make. Of course, we also have the ability to lighten up the image in post-processing using software like Photoshop.

Short-eared Owl

As I said earlier in this blog, after flying around looking for food, they will sit down on a short perch or on the ground.

Short-eared Owl

Short-eared are extremely maneuverable in the air, able to drop suddenly to capture prey or climb to avoid pursuers.

Short-eared Owl

So as they fly around, just what are they looking for? Mostly rodents. They feed mainly on voles and mice. They are also known to eat shrews, rabbits, gophers, small birds, and rarely bats and muskrats.

Short-eared Owl

They use acute hearing to hunt small mammals and birds.

Short-eared Owl

This Short-eared caught its dinner and is looking for a place to sit and eat. Many times, other owls or Northern Harriers will try to steal the food.

Short-eared Owl

Short-eared Owl populations are difficult to estimate but there have been declines in Canada. The declines are blamed on habitat loss from agriculture, livestock grazing, recreation, and development.

Since Short-eared Owls require large uninterrupted tracts of open grasslands, they are sensitive to habitat loss. There are habitat restoration programs, such as the Conservation and Wetland Reserve Programs, that have shown some success in restoring habitat on private land.

I hope you enjoyed the photographs in this photo blog. There are many more images in my Short-eared Owl gallery if you would like to see these and many more photos of Short-eared Owls.

Thanks for looking,

Dan

Who Can't Find Wildlife in the Winter?

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Fri, 10 Feb 2017 00:46:15 GMT

When winter comes there are certain birds and animals I like to search out and photograph. Those subjects are usually the focus of their own photo blog. Sometimes I find what I'm looking for and many times I don't but there is always wildlife found along the way.

In this photo blog I want to share some images I made since Christmas. I hope you enjoy.

This little Black-capped Chickadee is picking at the fruit of a Staghorn Sumac.

Black-capped Chickadee

I made a trip to Erie, PA one day in hopes of finding a Snowy Owl on the beaches. After the long walk to Gull Point, I was disappointed that there wasn't a Snowy Owl. On a bright note, I found the largest gull in the world, the Great Black-backed Gull.

Great Black-backed Gull

Ring-necked Pheasants love farming areas mixed with areas of taller vegetation, which they use for cover. I've been finding this guy pretty regularly.

Ring-necked PheasantMale

He was very alert as he fed in the corn field.

Ring-necked PheasantMale

This video is almost six minutes long. So, what in the world is so exciting about watching a Ring-necked Pheasant for six minutes? You'll have to watch and see! I'll give a hint: He must have heard another male pheasant in the adjacent brushy field.

Keep in mind throughout this video that I didn't know which way he was going to run so sometimes I couldn't keep up with him. It's comical to watch anyway. Also, I didn't have my external microphone with me so the grinding noise you will hear is the focusing mechanism of the camera's lens. One of my pet peeves about shooting video with a DSLR.

Ring-necked Pheasant Ring-necked Pheasant

I found this Bald Eagle pair perched nearly 300 yards away. It's amazing the detail, even at great distances, you can capture when there is good light.

Bald Eagle

The following image doesn't have the best composition but I have to share it because it's my first ever photograph of a White-crowned Sparrow.

White-crowned Sparrow

Horned Lark are my nemesis bird to photograph. I find large flocks of them feeding in farm fields during the winter. They especially like it when the farmers spread manure. Of course, they fly when I approach. I'll sit in my vehicle waiting for their return and they seldom do. I'm just not having much luck with this bird. One day, they did come close but they put themselves between me and the sun. Not the best way to photograph anything but hey, I'll take it.

Horned Lark

You can see the little tuft of feathers on its head that makes it look like it has horns. Hence, Horned Lark!

Horned Lark

I'm going to finish this photo blog with a Sandhill Crane show. I made all of the following photographs of two separate flocks in one evening. As I processed the images, I discovered I had several unique images so I'm including them all here for you to see.

Sandhill Crane

This photo was made during a little fluffing of the feathers.

Sandhill Crane

A lone walker slips away from the flock.

Sandhill Crane

These two were walking together but feeding on their own sides of the imaginary line.

Sandhill Crane

As I watched this small gathering of cranes, another flock flew past and landed on the other side of the hill. They got the attention of all but one of the group in front of me.

Sandhill Crane

A little preening never hurt anyone.

Sandhill Crane

This Sandhill Crane stood with its legs crossed for several minutes.

Sandhill Crane

This image is one of my favorites.

Sandhill Crane

Just like clockwork, as the sun is setting the Sandhill Crane becomes restless and take off to wherever they are going to roost that night.

Sandhill Crane

I hope you enjoyed this photo blog. I am currently photographing for a photo blog documenting Short-eared Owls. I'm focusing on their stay in Pennsylvania and hopefully some other information that may be new to you.

Until next time,

Dan

Conowingo Eagles: An Experience Worth Sharing

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Sun, 15 Jan 2017 23:19:12 GMT

Some experiences are just worth sharing. Actually, when I find something exciting, I like to include others in hopes they feel the same way. After Tom Dorsey and I spent a few days photographing Bald Eagles at Conowingo Dam in Darlington, MD, we discussed a return trip as we drove home. Thanksgiving was only a few days away and Tom and his wife Jeanne already decided to go back the following weekend. My wife, Elena, said since the weather is nice, we should go too. Looking back, it's a good thing we did because we haven't had very good traveling weather since.

This is the second blog documenting my 2016 trips to photograph Bald Eagles at Conowingo Dam. If you are interested in reading the first blog, "November Bald Eagles at Conowingo Dam", published on January 6th, you can read it here.

This visit was a jam-packed one-night stay in Maryland. We wanted to show our wives as much as we could while logging some quality time along the river.

The trip east began with a threat of snow but we didn't see any until the Allegheny Mountains of central Pennsylvania. You just never know what kind of weather you will find crossing the mountains. Snow and fog forced the turnpike speed to be reduced to 45 mph and we were very happy to reach the other side. Once we had the mountains in our rear view mirror, the sun came out. I was glad because we had one stop planned before reaching the dam that afternoon.

There had been a rare Tropical Kingbird seen around the marina in Peach Bottom, PA. I've never seen one so I had to at least look. When we arrived at the marina there wasn't a sole in sight. I drove along the railroad tracks and there were no trespassing signs everywhere. I thought we'd see a few birders but there was nobody around. So much for seeing my first Tropical Kingbird.

We arrived at the dam and set up along the water. We kept in touch with Tom and Jeanne along the way and they were about 1/2 hour behind us. Our Bald Eagle weekend was about to begin!

Here is a juvenile with a little sunlight on its tail feathers.

Bald EagleConowingo Dam, Darlington, MD

Double-crested Cormorants are plentiful at the dam. It's interesting to watch them dive for food because you never know what they will come up with.

Double-crested CormorantConowingo Dam, Darlington, MD

Elena frequently joins me on photography outings and has seen many Bald Eagles but it was exciting for me to introduce her to her first fishing event.

Bald EagleConowingo Dam, Darlington, MD

Look at the size of those feet!

Bald EagleConowingo Dam, Darlington, MD

If you read my previous blog, you will remember the grist mill Tom and I visited last week in Susquehanna State Park? We decided to go back and explore the grounds. Here, Elena was enjoying a view of the Susquehanna River behind me. Susquehanna State ParkElena Gomola
Susquehanna State Park
Havre De Grace, MD

This area has so much history and we could spend days exploring it all. Rock Run LandingSusquehanna State Park
Havre De Grace, MD

Below, Tom is discussing the old bridge piers with Jeanne. The remnants of the piers, mentioned in the signpost in the photo above, are shown below.

Susquehanna State ParkTom & Jeanne Dorsey
Susquehanna State Park
Havre De Grace, MD

Remains of Bridge PiersSusquehanna State Park
Havre De Grace, MD

There is a connection to some Pennsylvania history as well. A man, Confederate Brigadier-General James J. Archer, born in this house, was captured in Gettysburg, PA during the American Civil War.

Rock Run HouseSusquehanna State Park
Havre De Grace, MD

This is an upper view of the grist mill showing the canal where water once flowed to power the water wheel. 1794 Grist MillSusquehanna State Park
Havre De Grace, MD

Water traveled through the upper canal, entered this pipe, and spilled over the wheel. 1794 Grist MillSusquehanna State Park
Havre De Grace, MD

Tom was an excellent tour director explaining how the water powered the grist mill's grinding mechanism. 1794 Grist MillSusquehanna State Park
Havre De Grace, MD

Of course, once evening came we had to take our wives to the Port House Grill in North East, MD for the best crab cakes we've ever had. Once again, if you haven't read my previous blog November Bald Eagles at Conowingo Dam, you're not getting the whole experience.

__________

Sleeping in and casual breakfasts don't happen when you are on a wildlife themed photography trip. I'm glad Elena is okay with that because we scraped up whatever we could for breakfast and arrived at the dam before sunrise. Not long after it was light enough to make decent photographs, this adult eagle swooped down in front of us to make a catch.

Bald EagleConowingo Dam, Darlington, MD

Although the golden hue of the harsh morning sun makes photography difficult, it also adds an element that is indescribable. Bald EagleConowingo Dam, Darlington, MD

With tail feathers tinged by the sunrise, this juvenile Bald Eagle goes in for the catch. Bald EagleConowingo Dam, Darlington, MD

After making a successful catch, survival instincts kicked in and a juvenile began a chase. Once again, the harsh morning light presents problems with exposure but I like the realism of this scene.

Bald EagleConowingo Dam, Darlington, MD

There is a lot of acreage in front of you at Conowingo Dam so when a hunting eagle circles close, you need to keep your camera lens focused at all times. Bald EagleConowingo Dam, Darlington, MD

Bald EagleConowingo Dam, Darlington, MD

This eagle was pretty far out in the river when I saw him dropping to make a catch. It was one of the few times they fished towards me so I photographed the sequence despite the distance and the shadows.

Bald EagleConowingo Dam, Darlington, MD

Although you can't see the fish, this eagle is still dripping water after making a catch. Bald EagleConowingo Dam, Darlington, MD

When an eagle makes a catch and other eagles begin to chase, it usually ends in one of three ways. The eagle either drops the fish, has the fish stolen in a fight, or gets away to enjoy its meal. After escaping the chase of several eagles, I continued to follow this eagle as it flew across the face of the dam. Suddenly, a resident Peregrine Falcon swooped in on the much larger Bald Eagle.

Bald Eagle Chased by Peregrine FalconConowingo Dam, Darlington, MD

Although the falcon is much faster then the eagle, it quickly gave up its chase and allowed the eagle to pass.

Bald Eagle Chased by Peregrine FalconConowingo Dam, Darlington, MD

You've seen my photos of an eagle pulling a fish from the water in a big splash and also photos with the fish getting tossed into the air on a rare miss. In order to give you an idea of the force the eagle's talons enter the water and grab the fish, take a look at the next photo.

The power of this juvenile's legs and talons grabbed this fish in a sweeping motion and the momentum carried the fish all the way up into its tail feathers. Now that's power!

Bald Eagle MomentumConowingo Dam, Darlington, MD

Once in the air, it looks like this juvenile eagle has two kinds of tails. One feather and one fin. Bald EagleConowingo Dam, Darlington, MD

Here is another chase for a fish that happened all the way across the river. Most photographs to do not look good being cropped from that distance but sometimes the camera grabs perfect focus and allows a decent image to be created. Bald Eagles Chasing After Catching a FishConowingo Dam, Darlington, MD

The shoreline was extra crowded on this day. Visiting the dam on Thanksgiving weekend seemed to be an idea shared by many. Photographers at Conowingo Dam

One of the smaller bird species you'll find at the dam are Rock Pigeons. They seem to take off and land in flocks providing a show for this juvenile Bald Eagle sitting on a wall.

Bald Eagle (immature) Watches Flock of PigeonsConowingo Dam, Darlington, MD

Once again, on the other side of the river, an adult eagle was chasing a fish carrying juvenile. This time they had an audience such as this Great Blue Heron. Bald Eagles Chasing After Catching a Fish with Great Blue HeronConowingo Dam, Darlington, MD

Here is good light on a Double-crested Cormorant. When springtime comes, the eye-color of the cormorant will be a brilliant aquamarine that sparkles like jewels, and a mouth that is bright blue on the inside.

Double-crested CormorantConowingo Dam, Darlington, MD

Eagles that fly over our heads are heading to the trees behind the lineup of photographers. They perch there during the day and will also go there to eat. It is a nice opportunity to photograph the Bald Eagle while sitting on a limb but I usually don't go up there because, in my limited time at the dam, I don't want to miss a fishing event or a fight above the water. Bald EagleConowingo Dam, Darlington, MD

Here is a juvenile gliding on the wind. Bald EagleConowingo Dam, Darlington, MD

Some people like to have the dam structure in the background to have the element of nature and industry in one photograph but I try to keep it all natural if I can. However, this eagle spotted a fish and made an abrupt turn in great light and I couldn't pass it up. Bald EagleConowingo Dam, Darlington, MD

I think I'll finish off this photo blog with three flight shots.

Bald EagleConowingo Dam, Darlington, MD

That was my final trip to Conowingo Dam for 2016. We had a great time and Elena and Jeanne definitely want to go back. There is only one thing I'd change. I will never again drive the Pennsylvania Turnpike on Thanksgiving weekend. So much traffic and so many accidents really made the trip home a long one.

If you are interested in seeing these and other Bald Eagle photos I've made over the last several years, be sure to check out the Bald Eagle gallery in the Birds of Prey section of my website.

Thanks for looking,

Dan

November Bald Eagles at Conowingo Dam

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Fri, 06 Jan 2017 22:12:43 GMT

Just how many photographs of Bald Eagles does one need? As many as you can get is the answer. Maybe it's an obsession with getting the "perfect" photo. Maybe that "perfect" photo doesn't exist because no matter how good a photo is, you will always try to get a better one.

November rolled around once again just like it always does and my photography efforts were focused on the White-tailed Deer rut, which was in full swing. Lingering in the back of my mind was my upcoming trip to Conowingo Dam in Darlington, Maryland to photograph Bald Eagles with my good friend Tom Dorsey. This was our second year visiting the Dam and I have such a great time, I hope it's the second of many.

Instead of going into detail about the dam and why the eagles are so attracted to it, I'm just going to direct you to my 2015 photo blog "World Famous Conowingo Eagles", where that information is covered thoroughly.

This year, Tom and I planned three days of shooting along the shore of the Susquehanna River a short distance below the powerful turbines of the dam. However, the phrase, “the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry” seems fitting for this weekend. A winter storm moved a little quicker than expected and cut our trip short by one day.

In this photo blog, I hope to share our experiences in this beautiful part of our country as we visited local restaurants, historic structures in Susquehanna State Park, and of course, photographed Bald Eagles at Conowingo Dam.

We spent a few late afternoon hours at the dam on our travel day. We didn't have a lot of action to photograph but during that time, we met up with one of Tom's internet acquaintances. Before the day was over we became good friends with Fernando "Fern" Trujillo, one of the administrators for the Facebook group "Conowingo Wildlife Photographers". We all enjoyed dinner and shared photography stories at Woody's Crab House in North East, MD.

The next morning is when we got serious.

One of the coolest sights is to watch an eagle hunting for fish. They may circle low or they may circle high but when they spot their prey, they drop their legs like the landing gear of an airplane and glide in to make their catch.

Bald EagleConowingo Dam, Darlington, MD

But that's not always the case. Sometimes you can be following a bird in your lens when all of a sudden, it disappears. They can go into a complete dive and it happens so fast I have a hard time keeping up. I have to admit, keeping up with a diving Bald Eagle would take a lot of practice.

Bald EagleConowingo Dam, Darlington, MD

Photographing the catch is one of the fun parts of photographing the eagles. Just like an airplane, birds usually take off and land into the wind so the direction they fish depends on which way the wind is blowing. We all hope for the eagle to be close and flying towards us when they make the catch but it doesn't always happen that way. The photographers usually have to settle for profile photos like in the following series. Take note of the water ripples reflecting onto the underside of the eagle as it approaches the water.

Bald EagleConowingo Dam, Darlington, MD

Eagles are great fishermen but hey, none of God's creations are perfect.

Bald Eagle Drops Its CatchConowingo Dam, Darlington, MD

This is the perfect time to talk about the light at Conowingo Dam. It can be very harsh at times and if you are shooting before noon, you can be fairly certain that half of your subject will be lit up and the other half will be in the dark.

Bald EagleConowingo Dam, Darlington, MD

There are visitors from all over the world seen at the dam November through January. I even saw one from out of this world.

Generation X Poodle

All joking aside, Tom and I like to set up along the water because we like the perspective and we have good conversation with the people shooting along side of us.

Photographers at Conowingo Dam

Here are a few more Bald Eagle photos before we break for lunch.

Bald EagleConowingo Dam, Darlington, MD

If you are a reader of my blogs you already know that it takes five years for a Bald Eagle to develop its signature white head and tail. The eagle in the next photo is probably a four year old.

Bald EagleConowingo Dam, Darlington, MD

When an eagle picks a fish from the water it's not a delicate grab. This immature eagle went in for the catch, missed, and flipped it in the air.

Bald Eagle Missing FishConowingo Dam, Darlington, MD

It looks like this eagle was shot out of a canon. But I shot it with a Canon. Get it? Ha ha! That's okay if you don't, camera people will.

Bald EagleConowingo Dam, Darlington, MD

Ah, finally time for lunch. Same as last year, we had to go to the Union Hotel in nearby Port Deposit, MD. Great food and a lot of history surrounds you.

Union HotelPort Deposit, MD

Once mid-afternoon arrives, the sun begins to fall below the hillside behind you and most of the photography is best when the bird is in the air.

Bald EagleConowingo Dam, Darlington, MD

It's not even 3:00 and we are standing in the shade. Space along the river was limited so Tom had to set up on a little island that I quickly dubbed "Dorsey Island".

Tom Dorsey on Dorsey IslandConowingo Dam, Darlington, MD

Once the shade touched the far shoreline we decided to pack up and leave. Before our trip, Tom was researching some historical areas that we could visit in the waning light of the day. We drove about 10 miles to the Susquehanna State Park and a 1700’s grist mill. The park’s dense woodlands are on the eastern edge of the Cerulean Warbler’s range making it a popular place for birders in the spring.

1794 Grist MillSusquehanna State Park
Havre De Grace, MD

There is a trail running along the Susquehanna River that connects to the Conowingo Dam parking lot. When you are looking west from along the river, you can see Conowingo Dam in the distance.

Susquehanna River Below Conowingo DamSusquehanna State Park
Havre De Grace, MD

Maryland's #1 Crab CakePort House Grill in North East, MD

I have to give a plug for a restaurant in North East, MD. We ate dinner at the Port House Grill which has award winning crab cakes two years running. All crab meat; no filler. I posted the photo of my meal to the left to show off the large, sweet lumps of Maryland crab meat.

We arrived at the dam the next morning before sunrise. It was very foggy and when the sun finally came up, you couldn’t look down river because of the bright yellow glow. I think this boatload of fishermen was a popular subject of many of the photographers along the river that morning.

Early Morning FishermenConowingo Dam, Darlington, MD

One aspect of photography that you really need to practice at Conowingo Dam is to use manual camera settings. If the bird is flying below the horizon, you can get away with aperture priority or shutter priority but you can’t make that guarantee because the birds fly high and low giving the photographer an ever-changing background, playing havoc with the camera sensor.

Every now and then I would verify that I am still on the correct settings by photographing the gray sunlit wall of the dam and checking the histogram. If not correct, I’d change the settings and repeat. It just so happens I was in the process of making changes when an event all photographers are waiting for happened right in front of me.

When an eagle catches a fish, one or more eagles in the immediate area begin to chase the eagle with the fish. If they catch up, the fish may be dropped or we may get to see a scuffle between the eagles when the others try to steal the fish. That occurred within 100 yards in front of me and I caught it with my camera. Now for the bad news! Because I was making exposure changes, all of the images were overexposed. I managed to salvage them in Photoshop but a properly exposed photo would have produced a better overall image.

This is a six photo series of the steal attempt ending with a chase. Click on the small photos to see them larger.

Bald Eagle Fish Steal AttemptConowingo Dam, Darlington, MD

While photographing the elk rut last September, Tom introduced me to Mark Hendricks who resides in the Baltimore area. Mark drove up to see us and spend the day until we had to leave to beat the incoming winter storm. Mark is a professor, professional speaker, author, and photographer and is a true pleasure to hang out with. Good FriendsDan Gomola, Mark Hendricks, and Tom Dorsey
Conowingo Dam, Darlington, MD

The weather was so beautiful that we didn't want to leave and the wind began to change directions in our favor allowing eagles to fish toward us. Just as we decided to pack up our gear the following eagle dropped out of nowhere and picked a fish out of the water.

Bald EagleConowingo Dam, Darlington, MD

Even though it was a sunny day with temperatures above 70, the winter storm was beginning across northern Pennsylvania.

One Week After Super MoonConowingo Dam, Darlington, MD

Luckily, there was a walking club at the dam that day having a walking event and they had a booth selling snacks, hot dogs, brats, and drinks. After lunch we bid farewell to Mark and headed for northern Pennsylvania.

Good FriendsMark Hendricks and Tom Dorsey
Conowingo Dam, Darlington, MD

The outside temperature dropped 50 degrees between Darlington, MD and DuBois, PA and was accompanied by strong winds. Snow was falling but we made it home just fine.

By the way, there is one more Conowingo Dam Bald Eagle blog coming soon. After checking the weather and mulling it over during the Thanksgiving break, my wife Elena and I met up with Tom and his wife Jeanne the following weekend for more Maryland fun and photographing Bald Eagles.

View the next Conowingo Dam Bald Eagle blog now by clicking here.

Until next time,

Dan

Wrapping Up Autumn With Feathers and Fur

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Tue, 20 Dec 2016 22:04:30 GMT

The 2016 Winter solstice, in the Northern Hemisphere, will be at 5:44 AM on Wednesday, December 21st. To many people, that means winter is just beginning. To a wildlife photographer, it also means we’re going to have a couple additional minutes of sunlight added to each day.

Those couple minutes add up quickly and soon I’ll be able to photograph after work again and not be forced to wait until the weekend. With the 2016 autumn coming to an end, I thought I better share some of the photographs I’ve made in the last couple months. Once again, it’s kind of a catch-all photo blog because wildlife is too special to not be shared.

When the Crab Apple is ripe in October my backyard is flooded with birds taking their turn to pick the tart treat. There are a lot of American Robins but I really like photographing the Cedar Waxwings.

Cedar Waxwing

One day this year we had about 100 little beauties in the trees. They took turns going to the Crab Apple tree.

Cedar Waxwing

Here are a couple waxwings sitting on a rock near my backyard fish pond.

Cedar Waxwing

Time for a drink.

Cedar Waxwing

Here is a short video compilation of the activity in my back yard.

Backyard Birds

One blustery, cold morning I was at Moraine State Park when I saw a small flock of Hooded Mergansers floating near the shoreline. I slowly made my way toward the shore while keeping trees between me and the ducks. Hooded Mergansers seem to be frightened very easily so I wasn't surprised when they all took off out over the lake. I walked along the woods to a picnic table where I sat up on the edge of the bench a couple feet from the shore. As I sat there watching a few gulls fishing in the distance, this male Hooded Merganser swam out of the wooded shoreline and headed toward me.

Hooded MerganserMale

Thrush's are usually a difficult bird to find but this fall I saw several Hermit Thrush. This one was found in a wild grape vine.

Hermit Thrush

Hermit Thrush enjoying the fruits of the wild. Hermit Thrush

Most of the time I see Gray Squirrels busy doing something from finding nuts to breaking open nuts to burying nuts in the ground. I seldom see them at rest.

Eastern Gray Squirrel

The Brown Creeper climbs trees from bottom to top, in a circular motion, looking for insects in small crevices. If you think about it, nature is amazing. A nuthatch does the same thing except in the opposite direction. They circle the tree from top to bottom. Between the two, they find insects that the other misses because of their direction.

Brown Creeper

The Blue Jay is one of the loudest and most boisterous birds in the forest. This one was making his presence known.

Blue Jay

The Field Sparrow has to be one of the cutest little birds in the sparrow family.

Field Sparrow

We have to wait until autumn to find a White-throated Sparrow. When they come, they come in large flocks.

White-throated Sparrow

Even though the Yellow-rumped Warbler loses most of its beautiful colors during the summer, there are still enough left for an easy identification.

Yellow-rumped Warbler

I was watching a small herd of White-tailed Deer when this doe's attention was diverted by a nearby noise. She began to flag her tail before running over the hill.

White-tailed Deer

Here is a small family of Sandhill Crane. Young Sandhill Crane have dark eyes and as they get older, their eyes become yellow-orange to scarlet.

Sandhill Crane

A youngster is leading the flock on this tight takeoff.

Sandhill Crane

The Ring-necked Pheasant is not native to Pennsylvania although they are a popular game bird. It's always a treat to find one that doesn't run off into the dense weeds.

Ring-necked PheasantMale

Wish I had this crowing male on video but I don't. Maybe next time.

Ring-necked PheasantMale

There was a second male with a longer tail but he stayed hidden most of the time.

Ring-necked PheasantMale

I hope you enjoyed viewing the photos in this blog posting as much as I enjoyed making them.

For the second year in a row, I was fortunate to spend a few days photographing America’s national bird, the majestic Bald Eagle, during migration at Conowingo Dam in Darlington, Maryland. I am working on a photo blog to share my experiences and photographs so keep checking back, watch for an email or Facebook notification after it’s published.

If you would like to be added to my email list for Photo Blog notifications, send me an email through my contact page and I will add you.

Thanks for looking,

Dan

White-tailed Deer: The Autumn Pursuit

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Mon, 05 Dec 2016 00:12:29 GMT

September and early October was a whirlwind for me photographing rutting elk. If it weren’t for the 2.5 hour drive each way to the Pennsylvania elk range, it wouldn’t have been so hectic. Shortly after the rutting period of the American Elk ends, the White-tailed Deer doe (female deer) enters her estrus cycle and their world turns into chaos with every buck (male deer) within sniffing distance vying for breeding rights.

Rut activity of the White-tailed Deer is more difficult to photograph because of their fear of humans and their rut is relatively short compared to the American Elk.

I began photographing this year in mid-October and pursued deer until the end of November and the beginning of the Pennsylvania rifle season. I hope you enjoy the photography.

Many doe are still accompanied by their offspring from earlier in the year. Some attempts are still being made to nurse but the doe seems to push them aside and the fawns are feeding on plants, fruits, acorns, and other nutty goodies when they are available. Soon they will need to rely on whatever food is available such as fallen leaves, twigs, bushes, evergreens, and other woody plants to nourish them through the winter.

White-tailed Deer

Most of the images in this photo blog were made with a Canon 1DX MKII camera body and either a Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS or Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II lens. I needed the low light capabilities of that equipment to photograph this buck as it was nearing complete darkness.

White-tailed Deer

I was positioned on the lower end of a hillside that had a well-worn trail etched into the forest floor when a doe came walking along. Just then, I saw her pursuer in a thicket about 10 yards behind.

White-tailed Deer

The doe ignored me and continued to walk along the trail. Just then, the buck stepped out of the thicket and into plain view. He is a 6-point with a truly impressive spread. A huge charge of testosterone during the rut period can make a bucks neck swell up to 50% of its normal size.

White-tailed Deer

This buck was rushing down a hillside when he stopped briefly, illuminated perfectly by the evening sun.

Notice the dark spot on the inside of his rear leg? That is called the tarsal gland and there is one on the inside of both hind legs. Smell typically comes into play when deer scent-check each other. Normally, identification is determined by smelling each others' tarsal glands. During mating, the dark, stained tufts of stiff hair reek with odors, besides urine added for sexual excitement.

White-tailed Deer

This guy was in pursuit of a couple does when he crossed my path. The does stopped to feed on nearby acorns so, hiding himself behind the trees, he stopped to check me out.

White-tailed Deer

I found this buck on a hillside meadow accompanied by about seven doe and their fawns.

White-tailed Deer

As all the doe continued to feed in the meadow, he became more interested in me. He slowly walked toward me in a curious posture.

White-tailed Deer

As he walked a little closer, he held his hoof high. He wasn’t alerted enough by my presence to flip his tail up or to give me a foot stomp. A deer communicates with other deer in many ways but both genders will stomp the ground to alert other deer, or attempt to lure an intruder into exposing itself.

White-tailed Deer

Most of the time, especially when the weather is warm, I don’t see many deer until the sun begins to set, leaving little time for photography. This buck, holding his rack high, was following a few doe around a meadow. White-tailed Deer

After becoming wary of my presence, he headed toward the woods. He only paused in response to me yelling “hey buck, hey buck”.

White-tailed Deer

Not all journeys into the field searching for a whitetail buck are successful. Many times the deer are frightened and run away or they hide unseen in a deep thicket. On the other hand, one might find a little buck that is cooperative, such as this guy illuminated by the setting sun.

White-tailed Deer

With light diminishing quickly, I probably shouldn't have been photographing anything at this time. I saw this buck crossing a field and just as he entered the woods I whistled to get his attention. He stopped and turned.

White-tailed Deer

I was sitting one evening just before dark watching a small herd of doe and spotless fawns. I was hoping a big buck would walk over the crest of the hill but that didn't happen. I did see a tender moment between one of the doe and her fawn.

White-tailed Deer

I was drinking coffee in my living room one Saturday morning when our two Shelties began to bark at something in our backyard. This buck, who is frequently photographed on my backyard trail cam, came in to feed on our Crabapple tree.

White-tailed Deer

This is a late November buck. With no doe to pursue, he is a little more cautious and is keeping himself protected behind branches. I was hoping he would move into the open but he didn’t. Instead, he turned and ran into an adjacent field.

White-tailed Deer

With the rut over the bucks are a little harder to find. Couple that with the fact that rifle deer season is now half over, all of the deer are very cautious. Here is a doe that paused to see what my next move was going to be.

White-tailed Deer

Female White-tailed Deer will fight to protect their fawns or a food source. I'm not really sure if these two were fighting or playing. They broke away a couple times and came back to each other. In either case, I wish my shutter speed was a little faster to stop the blur.

White-tailed Deer

Well, that’s it for this year’s White-tailed Deer rut. I wish I had photographs of more obvious rutting activity like rubs, scrapes, scent marking, or fighting but I wasn’t able to find it this year. That’s okay, maybe I will be able to make up for it next year. I hope you enjoyed the experiences I was able to share.

Thanks for looking,

Dan

Bull Elk: Moving the Herd

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Mon, 31 Oct 2016 21:38:41 GMT

After taking a week away from photographing the elk herd in Benezette, I was getting anxious to go back. I decided one more trip was in order and after seeing a lot of activity the previous weekend, I knew exactly what I wanted to capture on this day. On Monday, 10/3/2016, I awoke at 3:00 a.m. in order to make it to Benezete before daybreak. I ran into some fog on the way but once again, the valley in Benezette was clear.

October is when the elk rut slows to a stop and the bulls are magically friends again but it hasn't reached that point as of October 3rd. Bulls were still gathering small herds and bugling back and forth. In this final photo blog of the 2016 Pennsylvania elk rut, I'd like to show how the bull controls his herd when it's time to leave the meadow and enter the woods for the day.

In the last three blogs I talked about photographing the animals until they went into the woods. My goal on this day was to document that process. There were two bulls and two separate herds for me to photograph in the meadow this morning. The bull in the next photo had a small herd of nine elk cows and calves.

PA Elk (Oct, 2016)

However, the bull in the next photo felt that his herd wasn't large enough and promptly came in and stole the other bull's cows. Remember, it is October 3rd and these bulls are probably tired and sore from the action of the last few weeks. Team that with malnourishment and you will have bulls that aren't interested in fighting.

PA Elk (Oct, 2016)

The first bull left the meadow only to return later and gather a portion of his herd back. That leads me into this first video lasting about eight minutes. It begins with a couple young bulls calmly crossing the creek. Afterwards, I watched the bull with the large herd chase some cows around while answering bugles from the bull that ran about 1/4 mile away to the other end of the meadows. You will see the bull across the field attempt to corner a cow but she runs back to her herd. Turn your volume up to listen to the calves talking in the crowd. One calf in particular is very vocal and at one point, it sounds like it is mimicking the large bull's bugle. I have to smile when I hear it. Then, you get to see how the bull moves his herd in the direction he wants them to go. Obeying every command, they eventually cross the creek and enter Elk State Forest. I personally think this is one of the better compilations I made so I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Please be patient after pressing the icon to begin. Your internet connection determines how fast it loads.

American Elk American ElkBenezette, PA
10/03/2016

Now that you've seen the video here are a few stills of that herd.

I was positioned in the creek 80 to 100 yards downstream from the crossing site. Even at that distance, a look like this makes a person wonder about your safety.

PA Elk (Oct, 2016)

One look is all I got before he paused for a drink and then attended to his herd.

PA Elk (Oct, 2016)

These two cows and a calf paused in the middle of the creek to take some time to groom the calf.

PA Elk (Oct, 2016)

So, remember the bull that ran to the other side of the field? He returned and picked up a couple cows and a young spike on the way. This short video shows him taking his herd in the same direction as the previous bull.

American Elk American ElkBenezette, PA
10/03/2016

One of his cows was the piebald that we watched the previous weekend.

PA Elk (Oct, 2016)Piebald Elk Cow

Here she is in the Goldenrod on her way to the creek.

PA Elk (Oct, 2016)Piebald Elk Cow

It is typical to find a young spike in a bull's herd. They aren't a threat and are basically ignored.

PA Elk (Oct, 2016)

Finally, the big guy slowly crossed before heading into the forest.

PA Elk (Oct, 2016)

This was the fifth and final photo blog documenting my experiences during the 2016 elk rut in Pennsylvania. I hope you enjoyed them and felt the thrill of the bugle through my lens.

In case you missed any of the previous four, here is a link to view them.

9/15/2016 - Sights and Sounds of the PA Elk Rut

9/24/2016 - The Beginning of an Elk Country Weekend

9/25/2016 - Dominant Bull and Frustrated Wannabes

9/26/2016 - The Meadows Are Full of Elk

Until next time,

Dan

The Meadows Are Full of Elk

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Thu, 27 Oct 2016 00:48:49 GMT

The morning of Monday, 9/26/2016, was once again chilly and foggy. Since it was our final day of our stay in Elk Country and the hotel breakfast seemed to be served a little earlier than schedule, Elena and I decided to sit down and have a breakfast today. We ate quickly because we didn't want to miss anything down in the meadows we've been visiting each morning.

We arrived in the valley and was happy to find there was little fog, much unlike the surrounding mountains. You will see in the following photographs that the fog will move in and out before the morning is over.

Having made photographs and video of the same herd the past couple of days, I decided to spend a little time photographing some of the unique individuals we've been seeing. I found this young guy and his handlebar rack very interesting.

PA Elk (Sept, 2016)

It didn't take long before the fog began to roll into the meadow. These two young bulls ventured off alone and it was nice to photograph the interaction between them.

PA Elk (Sept, 2016)

Even though they are not "players" during the rut, the youngsters go through the motions just like the older bulls. I don't have video but it was comical hearing this young guy try his hand at bugling.

PA Elk (Sept, 2016)

We've been watching this piebald cow and her two calves all weekend.

PA Elk (Sept, 2016)Piebald Elk Cow

This guy came from a distant field chasing in one cow which you can witness in the first video after this photo. The dominant bull of this herd made sure that he didn't get any closer.

PA Elk (Sept, 2016)

Since this is our last morning of this visit I, once again, want to share with you the activity of a typical morning of the rut. This six minute video contains clips over a two and a half hour period. You will see the clear air become foggy and finally lift again. Occasionally, a bull tries to enter the field but is promptly chased away by the dominant bull, and you even get to witness some of the downtime when they finally get to lay down or simply eat.

American Elk American ElkBenezette, PA
9/26/2016

About mid-morning it got pretty quiet in the meadow but we could still hear distant bugling so Elena and I went in search of that bull. About a half a mile away we found the following bull with a small herd.

PA Elk (Sept, 2016)

He paced the field keeping his cows together.

PA Elk (Sept, 2016)

There were still bugles in the distance and he answered every one of them.

PA Elk (Sept, 2016)

I thought she was very pretty surrounded by Goldenrod.

PA Elk (Sept, 2016)

A few hundred yards away in the back of the field this bull had accumulated a small harem for himself.

PA Elk (Sept, 2016)

Between this bull, the one in the front of the field, and the bull we were watching earlier in the morning, there was some three-way bugling across the valley.

PA Elk (Sept, 2016)

This video shows the two bulls working their harems before heading into the woods for the day. At the end of the video you will see the first bull of the morning rubbing and thrashing a small tree before making his way down to see where the other herds were.

American Elk American ElkBenezette, PA
9/26/2016

Here is the early morning bull crossing into the new field before disappearing into the woods.

PA Elk (Sept, 2016)

With all the herds entering the woods, it marked the end of our morning. Heavy rain was forecast for the afternoon so Elena and I decided to go home and get some rest before our work week began on Tuesday.

Thanks for looking,

Dan

Dominant Bull Elk and Frustrated Wannabes

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Fri, 21 Oct 2016 20:15:55 GMT

Elena and I woke to our 5 o'clock wake-up call on this chilly Sunday morning, the 25th of September. Usually, when we go out of town, we like to eat a nice breakfast at a local diner but we don't get to do that during the rut. It's a quick breakfast sandwich at GetGo and off we go down the "Caledonia shortcut" to Benezette. We decided since the action was so good on Saturday morning, we would go to the same location. Plus, since the location is near the water and I don't have many photos of elk crossing water, I was hoping I'd see that too.

It was 39 degrees and foggy when we reached our destination. The sun hadn't come up yet when we met up with Tom Dorsey and made our way through the woods to the back meadow. A few of our friends were already in place watching a growing herd of elk, a dominant bull, and a few smaller "satellite" bulls. Satellite bulls get their nickname because they always seem to be orbiting the field similar to a satellite orbiting earth.

This bull came from a far field in response to the bugles of the dominant bull.

PA Elk (Sept, 2016)

When you’re in the field watching and documenting the rut one can easily distinguish the various levels of experience in herding. The larger, middle aged bulls are clearly in charge. They are studs! Competitors are usually nearby but they know they can’t compete with a mature bull’s deep bugle or growth of their antlers. The mature bull easily gathers his cows along with spike bulls and calves.

If you look around you will usually find one or two frustrated bulls waiting on the sidelines. Occasionally, the dominant bull will be distracted and one of the wannabes will manage to trap a cow. They are seldom successful as the cow will run to the rest of the herd or the dominant bull will notice and quickly approach leaving the smaller bull feeling helpless.

This bull was slowly approaching the large herd in an adjacent meadow while pausing occasionally to announce his presence with a bugle.
PA Elk (Sept, 2016)

The rut is nothing more than a bunch of bull elk, jacked up on testosterone, sizing up each others bugles and size of their antlers all while trying to impress the ladies. Sometimes they square off in a dominance fight but that is not their first intentions. Bulls can seriously injure each other, lock up antlers, or gore one another and be left to die. Smaller bulls seem to be aware of those possibilities and stay out of delicate situations. When the big guys throw a pose and a bugle like the one in the photo below, I understand why the smaller bulls keep their distance.

PA Elk (Sept, 2016)

The cool, crisp Benezette air condenses his breaths into consistent puffs of water vapor.

PA Elk (Sept, 2016)

Even with all the commotion of the rut going on all around them, a cow still makes time to nurture their calves and reassure their safety.

PA Elk (Sept, 2016)

During the height of the rut, the bull elk has a massive thickness to his body, a physique very different than the same bull in July and August.

PA Elk (Sept, 2016)

In this video, I'd like to show you how a morning is spent in the life of an elk during the rut. The dominant bull elk will spare no energy keeping his herd together. Other, usually smaller, bulls will stand at the woodland edge waiting for an opportunity to steal a cow or two but usually get caught and, unwilling to fight the big guy, they retreat frustrated. So this video will be full of bulls chasing cows, bulls chasing smaller bulls, elk cow and calves grazing, and a lot of bugling so turn up your speaker volume. In a couple instances, when the dominant bull turns his attention to another bull, I placed video of the intruding bull in a picture-in-picture format for the few seconds that he reacted.

During all three videos in this photo blog you may hear some shutter clicks from other people's cameras and an occasional conversation between fellow photographers. We tend to help each other and keep each other informed of other activity. This video is over six minutes long so, depending on your internet connection, it could take a few seconds before it begins to play.

American Elk American ElkBenezette, PA
9/25/2016

Here is the "King of the Harem" checking on one of his cows.

PA Elk (Sept, 2016)

Fog comes and goes in the valley. The photo below was made as a haze began to cover the valley floor.

PA Elk (Sept, 2016)

The next photo is a piebald cow with her calf. Piebaldness occurs due to a genetic variation.

PA Elk (Sept, 2016)Piebald Elk Cow

Satellite bulls will bugle too. It seems like the only thing they accomplish is to get the attention of the dominant bull and then chased back into the woods or into the next field.

PA Elk (Sept, 2016)

The bulls get all the attention of wildlife photographers but I also like to photograph the females too.

PA Elk (Sept, 2016)

As the morning continues, the elk continue to do more of the same. We have the dominant bull keeping his herd together and displaying a few attempts at mating. As he paces the meadow making sure his herd doesn't stray too far he does it while keeping an eye on the collared, satellite bull who is still attempting to steal cows from the herd. Here is another video; a continuation of our morning in a meadow during the elk rut.

American Elk American ElkBenezette, PA
9/25/2016

The action began to slow down just like the ending of that last video. Elena and I spent the late morning and early afternoon visiting local gift shops and wineries only to end up at the hotel for a much needed nap before heading to the Elk Country Visitor's Center for the evening.

I wanted to check out the action at the visitor's center because the bulls up there have been fighting a lot. That evening, we were there until it was too dark to see and didn't see a fight. These bulls were on their best behavior while I was around. The bull in the photo below is known as "Tippy" because one antler is much larger than the other and he walks with a head tilt. I bet he's really happy in March when those things fall off.

PA Elk (Sept, 2016)

The bulls at the visitor's center are usually too far away for good photography but we hung around that evening until the sun began to set. As we were walking back to the parking lot we found another bull and a small harem much closer. Below are a few photos of him as darkness fell.

PA Elk (Sept, 2016)

Once again, the camera makes the scene look brighter than it really was. For those who understand camera settings, my shutter speed was 1/30th of a second and iso was set at 2000. We could barely see this bull moving around with the naked eye. You can see the last glimmer of light edging his antlers, back, and rear end.

PA Elk (Sept, 2016)

Here is a short video of this bull roaming the hilltop and responding to distant bugling.

American Elk American ElkBenezette, PA
9/25/2016

I'll finish this blog with a few more photos from the darkening fields of the visitor's center.

PA Elk (Sept, 2016)

He probably continued to bugle well into the night but this was the last photo I could make of him on this day.

PA Elk (Sept, 2016)

The evening ended on a high at the visitor's center and continued in town at the Benezette Hotel. Elena and I met up with Tom Dorsey and longtime Facebook friend Bill Potter and his wife Merilee. It was great to finally meet Bill in person. Few people on Facebook like to critique the photos we make. Tom and I appreciate the honesty of a good critique and Bill and I sometimes get into deep conversations about our photographs and why we made them the way we did. We talk about the feeling they create and that is something I enjoy.

After an evening of great travel and photography conversation, Elena and I headed the other way on the "Caledonia shortcut" to St. Mary's. It was another late night in Elk Country and we finally made it back to the hotel looking forward to another five hours of sleep.

See you tomorrow,

Dan

The Beginning of an Elk Country Weekend

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Sun, 16 Oct 2016 19:50:53 GMT

September 24th was the first day of a full three days in Elk Country for my wife, Elena, and I. We arrived in St. Mary's on the evening of Friday, September 23rd and made sure we had a good night sleep for an early morning departure for Benezette. We reached our first stop at 5:30 a.m. which was to attend a biannual gathering of our Facebook group "Benezette Elk Camera Club". We grabbed coffee and donuts, talked with a few friends and met some Facebook friends for the first time. 6:30 came fast and the sun was beginning to glow in the eastern sky so everyone said their "see ya laters" and headed in all directions to where they thought they would see elk.

It was still dark so Elena and I used a flashlight while walking through the woods to distant meadows. Once there, we and several other people with the same idea, began to set up. As soon as there was enough light, I began to make photographs. You see, one never knows how long an elk herd will stay in the fields so you have to act quickly. My beginning camera sensitivity, called iso, on my Canon 1DX MK II was set at 3200 which is about 8 to 16 times higher than normal daytime shooting. That was the minimum setting I could use while keeping a decent shutter speed.

The camera brightens the scene a lot but this was my first look at the herd this morning. If you look closely, you can see the dominant bull standing in the woods in the left side of the scene.

This first morning started out really good. We got to watch several bulls jostling for position to intrude on the herd that was obviously following a dominant bull. This bull spent most of the morning "on the sidelines" because he knew he couldn't compete with the leader of this herd.

PA Elk (Sept, 2016)

Bull Elk generally lose weight during the rut because they burn a lot of energy and are too busy to eat. Here's another look at the same bull as he takes time to eat. I guess when you don't have your own harem, you get to enjoy breakfast.

PA Elk (Sept, 2016)

I saw this young guy getting ready to cross the creek so I ran into position to photograph the crossing.

PA Elk (Sept, 2016)

I keep mentioning the dominant bull and you got a glimpse of him in the opening photo but I've kept him a secret long enough. This next photo is the bull that was "ruling the roost" so to speak. Although others tried, no other bull could shake loose a cow for themselves with this big guy watching. PA Elk (Sept, 2016)

This video contains two scenes. The first scene is the smaller bull making a move to enter the herd and the second scene is the dominant bull chasing the intruder into the woods. Unfortunately, they are not close to each other during the chase so you will only see the dominant bull.

American Elk American ElkBenezette, PA
9/24/2016

After the herd left the meadow, Elena and I hooked up with Tom Dorsey, Jim "Muck" McClelland, and new friends and Baltimore residents, Mark and Carolina Hendricks, to go porcupine hunting. After a couple hours of hunting, we went back to the picnic without any photos.

We ate lunch, BS'd with a lot of the club members, and even won a White-tailed Deer fleece blanket in the Chinese auction. About 2:00 Elena and I went to the hotel for a few zzz's before the elk became active again. Sorry, club members, I didn't take any photos at the picnic. I was too busy talking. Go figure!

Benezette was really crowded on this Saturday and the evening wasn't panning out to be very good for elk viewing. About an hour before dark, Elena and I drove east on Route 555 to the Hick's Run viewing area. We met a friendly couple in the parking lot who gave a tip on a large bull a couple miles back toward Benezette. Thanks to new Facebook friend Sarah Glatfelter, we knew where to stop to get the next two photos.

This bull had a small herd of about six cows and they were all his. We watched the "Rt. 555 Bull" until it got too dark to photograph and we didn't see any challengers.

PA Elk (Sept, 2016)

Here is another view of the "Rt. 555 Bull".

PA Elk (Sept, 2016)

Before going back to the hotel for the evening, we visited the campground of Tom and Jeanne Dorsey. It was a great evening with a great group of friends. While we were there, Muck taught me how to photograph the stars. Below is my first attempt of shooting the Milky Way Galaxy. Not too bad for a beginner.

Milky Way GalaxyWinslow Hill, Benezette, PA

Cheers to a great group of people!

It was very late when we got back to the Cobblestone Inn in St. Mary's. Wake-up call in five hours.

Goodnight,

Dan

Sights and Sounds of the PA Elk Rut

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Wed, 12 Oct 2016 21:45:05 GMT

September and early October marks the mating season of the American Elk. The rutting call of bulls, called a bugle, is heard echoing through the Pennsylvania hills from just before dusk to dawn. The bugle of the bull elk is a distinctive sound that begins deep and becomes a high pitched squeal before ending in a series of grunts. Hearing your first bugle is an experience you will never forget and one that will leave you wanting more.

This year, I was able to spend five days in the Benezette, PA area to photograph the rut activity of the American Elk. I made two day trips alone and my wife, Elena, and I had a nice three day stay in nearby St. Mary's. Over those five days I logged a lot of time in front of elk and have numerous photographs and a few videos to share. I'm going to use five separate blogs to tell the story of the 2016 American Elk rut in Pennsylvania with this one being the first.

9/14/2016 - While preparing for a day trip to Benezette I checked the weather forecast and saw they were calling for heavy fog overnight. Benezette is usually foggy in the morning so that was not a surprise. Because of the forecast, I decided to get a good night sleep and go later in the morning.

9/15/2016 - Temperatures reached the mid-80's on this day making it less likely to see many elk come out to feed before the sunset. However, about 5:15 in the afternoon, I spotted a large bull elk laying in the grass near the edge of the woods. I parked my vehicle and joined a small group of people already watching. As soon as he turned his head, I recognized the U-Bull. He has been dubbed U-Bull because of the U-shape of his rack. Beginning at the base, the shafts point out before lifting up giving his rack a much wider U-shape.

He was resting at the edge of the woods but at one point an elk cow exited the woods and stood by him. He seemed to be very interested.

PA Elk (Sept, 2016)

After the cow approached the bull and retreated a couple more times, U-Bull gave us is first bugle of the evening.

PA Elk (Sept, 2016)

Another reason to look forward to the rut is meeting up with people that you see only once a year or you've met on Facebook and share the same interest of viewing the elk. I watched U-Bull for about 30 minutes when my friend Dave Anderson arrived from the Pittsburgh area. We stood there and "shot the bull", no pun intended, while waiting for something interesting to happen.

There were bugles in the distance which got the attention of U-Bull. He stood and prepared for an evening of assembling cows and calves into his meadow.

Bull elk often dig holes in the ground, in which they urinate, lay down, and roll their body. The urine soaks into their hair and gives them a distinct smell which attracts cows. Elk can mark themselves by spraying urine on their bodies from an erect penis. That type of scent-marking behavior in elk is known as "thrash-urination". That's exactly what U-Bull is doing in the photo below. You can see the spray along his neck.

After a while, the U-bull climbed the hill ahead of us and disappeared into the woods.

We knew he was going up the hill to a food plot so we walked up a path on the perimeter of the field. By now we were beginning to lose photography light fast. The surrounding mountains were blocking sun rays several minutes ahead of sunset. When we arrived at the top of the field, we found U-Bull thrashing a small pine tree on the other side.

Elk rub trees and shrubs like this to deposit oils on their antlers, turning them from bone white to the dark, burnt umber color seen in the next photo. Notice the tips remain somewhat white because they don't make direct contact with the sap.

In my own personal observation, I noticed that while a bull is doing this, he will stop several times to lick the sap coming from the shredded bark. I'm not sure why they do that. Maybe they just like the taste. It looks like he's really enjoying this rub.

PA Elk (Sept, 2016)

As he exited the woods, he stood in the shadows, reluctant to enter the warmth of the sun. Even at this early stage of the rut, U-Bull already has three broken tines and walks with a limp caused by an injured left, rear leg.

PA Elk (Sept, 2016)

Even though they were a quarter mile apart, taunting continued between U-Bull and the bull in an adjacent field.

PA Elk (Sept, 2016)

Here is a video of U-Bull as he entered the food plot, thrashed the small evergreen tree, and kept his herd together while another bull answered his bugles. The video is about 5 minutes so the load time will depend on your internet connection.

American Elk American ElkBenezette, PA
9/15/2016

As the meadow became too dark to photograph, Dave and I decided to walk to the adjacent field to find the bull that has been taunting U-Bull all evening. The next field over was a little brighter so we were able to photograph him. The bull we found is a 10X8, not the most tines ever seen on a bull in Benezette but it is the most tines that I have ever seen.

PA Elk (Sept, 2016)

At the close of the evening friends Tom and Jeanne Dorsey arrived. There we are standing along the edge of the road in darkness talking about the rut that was just getting underway when I realized I had a two and a half hour drive home. I was enjoying the evening but I got in my vehicle and drove home.

The day started slowly but finished pretty well which got me excited about the next couple of weeks. As the air cooled over the next 10 days, the rut really began to heat up.

Thanks for looking,

Dan

Autumn Birds of Pennsylvania

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Sat, 08 Oct 2016 22:31:45 GMT

I'm sitting here on a dark, rainy autumn morning wishing it was brighter outside because I'm missing a Saturday morning of bird photography during the fall migration. Sure, spring migration is pretty exciting because of all the colorful little birds flitting around on their journey to their summer breeding grounds but fall migration can be really good too.

Most of the birds have non-breeding plumage making them a challenge to identify. Some birds, like the Hooded Warbler, don't change much at all. Other birds, like the Scarlet Tanager, become almost unrecognizable. Most birds, however, have the same colors and markings but they are somewhat faded.

An example of the latter is a Prairie Warbler who lost most of his black identification marks.

Praire Warbler

Another challenge in the fall is identifying juvenile birds which can look much different than the adults. Below is a juvenile Eastern Towhee which I'm guessing is a young male based on the black wing coloration.

Eastern TowheeImmature Male

Another young bird I found was this Brown Thrasher.

Brown ThrasherJuvenile

I had a lot of discussion with birders, most more knowledgeable than I, about the identification of this bird. It's definitely a flycatcher. The question was if it is a Willow Flycatcher or an Alder Flycatcher. I was told it is impossible to differentiate between the two unless you hear their song. Well, hearing the song still wouldn't help me. I chose to identify this bird as a Willow Flycatcher because that is the one most likely found in our area right now.

Willow Flycatcher

The next photo is a female or immature male Rose-breasted Grosbeak.

Rose-breasted GrosbeakFemale or Immature Male

This male Indigo Bunting is still singing.

Indigo BuntingMale

Some birds' feathers are so smooth you can't tell where one begins and the other ends. That's not an issue with this White-eyed Vireo.

White-eyed Vireo

This is the time of the year that we find American Goldfinch pulling seeds from the coneflower flower heads. Some males have began to change. Before winter, the males will molt and take on the olive-green and gray colors of the female.

American GoldfinchMale

I got the attention of a Blue-headed Vireo at the edge of a forest.

Blue-headed Vireo

This female Ruby-throated Hummingbird was flying around my garden probing the flowers for nectar. What I found very interesting about this photo is how the flower stamen rubs pollen onto the top of her head. She will pick up and deposit pollen at every flower she visits. It's amazing how nature works.

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

In western Pennsylvania, we have plenty of Black-capped Chickadees all year round. They are a pretty bird and it's nice to photograph them when they are vocalizing between each other.

Black-capped Chickadee

Many people, if given an opportunity to walk through fields, woodlands, and all areas in between, probably wouldn't notice the birds along their journey. Even the most colorful birds appear drab in color when inside the shadows of the forest canopy. Most are so quiet that they go completely unnoticed. The following photos are birds that you might find in that situation. Maybe the next time you find yourself in that situation, you can stop and take a look at what you've been missing.

This beautiful Nashville Warbler looks very similar to his breeding plumage of the spring. He will be leaving soon for his winter grounds of Mexico. Nashville WarblerMale

This Blackpoll Warbler was stretching for a better view.

Blackpoll Warbler

Although we don't here his raspy "bee-buzz" voice, the Blue-winged Warbler is still flying around our open woodlands before heading to Central America for the winter.

Blue-winged WarblerMale

This Chestnut-sided Warbler stayed inside the shrubs searching for insects.

Chestnut-sided Warbler

You can still see the faint strips on the chest of this Magnolia Warbler.

Magnolia Warbler

Although fading a little, the colors of this Black-throated Green Warbler are still very prominent.

Black-throated Green Warbler

Whether its spring, summer, fall, or winter, the Hooded Warbler looks the same. We won't find him in Pennsylvania in the winter as he will soon be on his way to Central America and Cuba.

Hooded WarblerMale

The Northern Parula is one of my favorite warblers.

Northern ParulaMale

The Tennessee Warbler got its name in 1811 by Alexander Wilson who found the bird in Tennessee during migration.

Tennessee Warbler

The female American Redstart is one of the more colorful female warblers.

American RedstartFemale

During molt, the male Scarlet Tanager takes on the yellow color of a female. While a female is all yellow, a male can be identified by his black wings.

Scarlet Tanager

The female Eastern Towhee is always interested in checking out strangers in its surroundings.

Eastern TowheeFemale

In September and early October, I spend several days in Elk County, PA to photograph the American Elk rut. Like most wildlife, they are most active in the early morning and evening. Many people ask what I do all day. Other than taking in the sights of the beautiful landscape, I spend time photographing birds.

I found this and several more Palm Warblers jumping from evergreen to evergreen searching for food.

Palm Warbler

BobolinkMale

The photo below was a surprise find for me. It is a male Bobolink. In the spring, the male Bobolink is black and white with a golden patch on the back of his head as you can see in the photo to the left.

BobolinkMale (Non-breeding Colors)

I have to ask, how cute is this Field Sparrow?

Field Sparrow

Another bird I found in high quantities in Elk County is the Pine Warbler. Many Pine Warblers live year-round in the southern United States and these will soon join them.

Pine Warbler

Well, that's it for now. Be sure to check back soon for photo blogs about the American Elk rut activity and then the White-tailed Deer rut activity. It's an exciting beginning to autumn.

Thanks for looking,

Dan

September Shorebirds and More From Conneaut Harbor, Ohio

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Sat, 01 Oct 2016 01:13:27 GMT

September is the peak of shorebird migration in the northeast and it is thrilling to see these birds that are usually not a part of our birding adventures. Although most have lost their breeding plumage by September, they are still a thrill to watch, photograph, and guess what they are. Some of the differences between certain species like plovers or sandpipers are so subtle that it is easy for the novice birder to misidentify.

This September, I spent several hours along the shore of Lake Erie at Conneaut Harbor, one of Ohio’s birding hotspots, located just a few miles across the Pennsylvania border. During the month, I had the enjoyment of seeing several migratory birds and a few that stick around all year round. I have several photos to share with you so this photo blog is dedicated to my sightings at Conneaut Harbor.

We'll begin with a couple of species of terns. In the following three photos you will see the largest tern in North America, the Caspian Tern.

Caspian Tern

Caspian Terns on the rocks of Lake Erie.

Caspian Tern

I thought this scene was comical as the Herring Gull frightens the Caspian Tern.

Herring Gull & Caspian Tern

The Common Tern has been known to breed in Presque Isle State Park in Erie, PA.

Common Tern

During the month, I photographed a nice quantity of birds in the sandpiper family like this Baird's Sandpiper.

Baird's Sandpiper

Least Sandpiper

The Stilt Sandpiper is named for its long legs.

Stilt Sandpiper

Most Western Sandpipers are found on the west coast of the United States. Occasionally, we get a few adventurous ones flying through the mainland on their way to the Atlantic for the winter.

Western Sandpiper

There are several Bald Eagles found along the coast of Lake Erie. This juvenile left its rocky perch and flew low over the inlet behind the break wall.

Bald Eagle

The Great Blue Heron is a very common bird which may stay year round in certain areas of PA and OH. After catching their fishy food, they flip the food several times to get it lined up with their throat before swallowing.

Great Blue Heron

A Great Blue Heron enhances the view of the Conneaut Harbor Lighthouse, in operation since the 1920's.

Great Blue Heron

I found an interesting piece of history regarding the town of Conneaut (pronounced “con-e-aught”) and how it got its name. The town of Conneaut lies on an old Indian trail later used by settlers seeking fortune on the western frontier. Seneca Indians called the creek that empties into Lake Erie at this point Konyiat, meaning place of many fish.

I have to say, it is a place of many birds too.

A summer breeder in Pennsylvania and Ohio is the Green Heron.

Green Heron

It's not uncommon to find Green Heron perched in the trees surrounding a lake, pond, or stream.

Green Heron

Another member of the heron family is the tiny Least Bittern.

Least BitternFemale or Juvenile

The next bird is an American Golden-Plover. This plover makes one of the longest migratory journeys of any shorebird. It breeds on the high Arctic tundra of Alaska and Canada and winters in the grasslands of central and southern South America.

American Golden-Plover

The American Golden-Plover has a long, circular migration route. In the fall it flies over the Atlantic Ocean from the East Coast of North America nonstop to South America. On the return in the spring it passes primarily through the middle of North America to reach its Arctic breeding grounds.

American Golden-Plover

The Semipalmated Plover is the most common plover seen during migration.

Semipalmated Plover

The shallow waters of the mudflats provided an ideal spot for this Sanderling to bathe.

Sanderling

Another migrator through the northeast is the Lesser Yellowlegs; often seen running through shallow water looking for food.

Lesser Yellowlegs

A year-round resident is the noisy, Belted Kingfisher. Here is a male Belted Kingfisher perched on a sunlit branch.

Belted Kingfisher

Just so you know, a female has a second band around her chest which is chestnut-brown in color such as the hovering kingfisher in the next photo.

Belted KingfisherFemale

Although the Great Egret can be found in many areas of the north, beyond the boundaries of range maps, I don't see many in Western Pennsylvania except during migration.

Great Egret

This Great Egret walks very slowly while watching for an unsuspecting fish to swim by.

Great Egret

I hope you enjoyed seeing the various species of birds I found at Conneaut Harbor, OH. Each visit came with great enthusiasm for what I might find. I never visited in April to catch the spring migration but I'm definitely including it in my schedule in 2017.

Thanks for looking,

Dan

Chance Encounters in the Wild

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Sun, 18 Sep 2016 21:39:18 GMT

I try to visit elk country several different times of the year to photograph elk at various stages of their life. September and October is the breeding season referred to as "the rut". The winter provides great opportunity but the very weather that makes winter elk photography interesting sometimes keeps me at home. June comes along and the calves created in the previous September, are being born. That brings us to August. By mid-August, the bull elk's antlers are fully grown and the velvet covering the new antlers dries up and shreds.

I've made several trips to Elk country in August to photograph the shed in progress. Not all bulls shed their velvet at the same time and all I've been able to find were bulls still holding their velvet or have completely shed. I haven't found any with a shed in progress.

On a day in August, when the temperatures were forecast to reach 85 degrees, my wife Elena and I awoke at 3 a.m. and headed to Elk country. We knew we wouldn't have much time to find bulls because of the heat and as always, fog was heavy in the Benezette area but it was patchy. During the summer, bulls tend to stay on higher ground in the mountains so knowing where to look comes with knowledge of the area and a little luck. Our first encounter was with a bull that still had all of his velvet intact.

PA Elk (Aug, 2016)

We were driving through the tall, dark canopies of the forest when we found two whitetail doe and six fawns. I fell for the big eyes of this curious fawn as it watched us pass by.

White-tailed Deer

As time was passing and temperatures were rising, we finally found a lone bull eating apples that had fallen from a tree along the road. This bull was shedding his velvet so I finally got my first photos midway through the shedding process.

PA Elk (Aug, 2016)

The rising sun, remaining fog, and thick canopy of leaves, created the most beautiful sun rays.

Gray Hill RoadBenezette, PA

With the early morning behind us and the bulls retreating into the woods, we decided to drive through some thick hemlock sections of the Elk Forest to find cows and their calves. The spots are fading and nearly gone on this years' calves.

PA Elk (Aug, 2016)

As we drove through the forest, I kept my eyes open for any wildlife encounters. I spotted this Red-tailed Hawk high in an oak tree.

Red-tailed Hawk

A fawn and its mother exited the woods into a weedy meadow. Below is the fawn as it shows itself outside of the high grasses.

White-tailed Deer

Mom was prancing through but keeping an eye on our vehicle.

White-tailed Deer

As we passed by another open meadow, I slowed down in case there was an elk. Instead, I found this Red-tailed Hawk watching the meadow for rodents or small birds.

Red-tailed Hawk

American Kestrels are the smallest and most common falcon in North America and they have given me fits over the years. They are a difficult bird to photograph because they seldom sit still and when approached, they tend to fly far enough away to take away the photo opportunity. However, on this day we met a generous male that sat on top of this telephone pole for his portrait to be made.

American KestralMale

Thanks for looking,

Dan

Pennsylvania Wood Duck: Through the Seasons

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Sun, 11 Sep 2016 23:19:32 GMT

When springtime arrives in western Pennsylvania, I begin to get excited about photographing the waterfowl migration. Many migrants come and go but one duck that stays with us throughout the summer is the Wood Duck. The Wood Duck is one of my favorite ducks to photograph because of their beauty and because they present a challenge. They are one of our most shy birds so getting close without alerting them is most of the challenge.

Because they are such an interesting duck, I want to take you on a photographic journey through their time in western Pennsylvania, with a few Wood Duck facts along the way.

The Wood Duck is Pennsylvania's most colorful duck and when they begin arriving in early spring, their colors stand out in a snowy landscape.

Wood DuckDrake & Hen

The Wood Duck has some colorful nicknames like Carolina duck, squealer, summer duck, and the most famous of them all, woodie. Woodies are common migrants in Pennsylvania in March and April and they stay throughout the summer and breed. Other than some southern parts of Pennsylvania, they begin their journey south again during the months of September through November. Most woodie's spend the winter from the Carolina's south to the Gulf and as far west as eastern Texas.

One of my most favorite activities in the spring is to set up a blind along a wooded swamp to photograph these beauties. Although there are females in the area, early spring seems to offer flocks of several males. There was a heavy fog on this morning and I had to wait patiently until the sun began to burn it off. The woodies were swimming all around the marsh when the sun finally shined through.

Wood Duck

The male, also called a drake, has an iridescent green head with shades of blue and purple in the large head crest. Other identifying marks of the drake is the red eyes, reddish-orange bill, chestnut chest, and golden sides. Typically, in the bird world, the female of the species is duller and drab compared to the male. The Wood Duck is no different. She is covered in gray, white, and brown with a small head crest and white around her eyes.

Wood Ducks aren't known to mate for life. They have an intense courtship that takes place on their wintering ground so most are already paired up when they get to Pennsylvania.

Wood DuckDrake & Hen

The photo below was made after dipping her head and body under water. See how the water is rolling off her back like a newly waxed car? Ducks have an oil gland at the base of the body, basically where the body and tail meet. Ducks will spread the oil all over their feathers during preening giving instant water repellent.

Wood DuckHen

Here she is giving a few flaps to help rid the excess water from her body.

Wood DuckHen

Wood Ducks are known as dabbler ducks. A dabbler tips its head into shallow water to probe for vegetation parts , seeds of pond weeds, wild rice and water lilies along the bottom. You will also find them feeding on the shores where they may eat grapes, berries, and various nuts. Wood DucksDrake & Hen

When you think of the noise a duck makes most people instinctively think of the quack, quack sound of the Mallard Duck. Wood Ducks do not quack. The hen is more vocal and louder than the drake when she squeals a warning call sounding like "hoo-eek, hoo-eek". The drake whistles an ascending "twee twee". Wood DuckDrake

You often find Wood Ducks in small groups of 20 or fewer, keeping apart from other waterfowl. Below is a short video clip to a small flock swimming through the wetlands.

Wood Duck Wood Duck

The light was hitting at a perfect angle to display his true colors.

Wood DuckDrake

As I watched this drake meander around the swamp, he rose up and flapped water from his coat of feathers.

Wood DuckDrake

Unlike most waterfowl, Wood Ducks perch and nest in tree cavities. When a hen migrates north she will tend to locate last year's nest tree and if she is a yearling, she will return to the general location that she was hatched.

Wood DuckHen

Thanks to their broad tail and short, broad wings, woodies are very agile fliers abling them to twist their way through woodlands. Above open terrain, they can reach speeds up to 50 mph.

Wood DuckDrake

Timing is everything when one seeks out to photograph Wood Duck ducklings. This year, I was a little late and the ducklings were beginning to grow up.

The story about Wood Duck nesting habits is fascinating so I'd like to share it with you. Wood ducks nest in tree cavities or nesting boxes near water. Sometimes the nests are directly above water and other times they may be a mile away. The hen may lay between 8 and 15 eggs but she will not begin to incubate until all the eggs are laid. Unlike most other ducks, the drake will stay with her through much of the incubation period but will be gone by the time all the eggs hatch. Because she began incubation after the last egg was laid, all the eggs will hatch on the same day. The very next day the mother will leave the nest and call to her flightless ducklings. One by one they jump from heights up to 50 feet without injury and follow her as she guides them to water.

The Wood duck is the only North American duck that sometimes produces two broods in one year.

Wood DuckHen & Ducklings

Wood Ducks are very attentive. Any slight movement catches their attention. Even though I am hidden in a blind, the movement of my lens from side to side is enough to alert mom. In this next photo, mom doesn't appear to feel threatened but she is keeping an eye on my blind while allowing two of her ducklings to continue their hunt for food.

Wood DuckHen & Ducklings

One spot that I like to set up my blind has its best light in the evening. Sometimes, when I arrive, there are woodies out in the open water. When mom begins her warning calls of hoo-eek, hoo-eek, hoo-eek, her brood heads for cover. You can see in the next photo that their little wings aren't big enough for flight but their legs do an awesome job of moving them quickly.

Wood DuckDuckling

The ducklings aren't able to fly until they are about two months old so they rely on their feet to tread water. This one is paddling so fast its chest rose out of the water like a motorboat.

Wood DuckDuckling

I was set up one day watching and hoping for a Wood Duck family to come into view. They didn't show up that day but you can see a trail through the reeds that mom and ducklings used recently.

After leaving the hen, the drake woodie will join other males in deep cover of the swamps or wooded waterways. At that time he begins to molt, losing his beautiful plumage and taking on a look similar to a hen. Later in the summer, both hens and drakes lose their flight feathers and are unable to fly. In late summer or early fall, they molt again restoring their normal colors.

It was getting late one evening when a molting drake emerged from deep in the shadows. This is the first time I ever saw a male at this stage of the molt. They generally stay hidden.

Wood DuckDrake

The hen, however, is still as beautiful as the day she arrives in early spring.

Wood DuckDuckling

I waited about one week before setting up my blind again. It's hard to believe how quickly they grow. Occasionally, a duckling will separate itself from the brood but they don't break up until they are about six weeks old.

Wood DuckDuckling

This lone duckling probes the swamp for tiny morsels of food.

Wood DuckDuckling

The duckling above spent so much time in front of my lens I was able to capture some video.

Wood Duck Wood Duck

By the end of July their maturity is noticeable. I was able to photograph this family resting on a log last summer.

Wood DuckJuveniles

I hope you enjoyed this quick journey through a few seasons of Wood Ducks in Pennsylvania. I hope you found the story interesting and maybe taught you something that you didn't know about Pennsylvania's most colorful duck.

Thanks for looking,

Dan

Northern Harrier: Raider of the Grassland

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Sun, 21 Aug 2016 22:37:23 GMT

Over a period of six weeks this summer, I visited an 1800 acre reclaimed strip-mine in Clarion County, Pennsylvania to observe and photograph nesting Northern Harriers. During that time, I witnessed the adult harriers adding nesting materials to their nest, performing fantastic mid-air food exchanges, delivering food to their chicks, hunting, preening, and finally teaching their young fledglings to get their own food. It was an eye-opening and educational six weeks and I'd like to share my experience with you.

Sharing what I've learned and photographed can't be done in a few photos. This photo blog is a little longer than I like them to be so I hope you find the Northern Harrier as fascinating reading this blog, as I did documenting them through my lens.

As I begin writing this blog, I'm wondering how many of you ever saw a Northern Harrier. They are not seen as often as other hawks, such as a Red-tailed, Broad-winged, or Cooper's. I'd like to give you a brief description right now with many more interesting facts scattered throughout this photo blog.

The Northern Harrier, also known as Hen Harrier or Marsh Hawk in other parts of the world, is a slender, medium-sized hawk with long, broad wings and a long, rounded tail. They have a flat, owl-like face and a small, sharply hooked bill. They are the most owl-like of hawks but they are not related to owls. In addition to vision, they rely on hearing to capture prey so their stiff facial feathers are important because they help to direct sound to the ears. Incidentally, there are 13 species of harriers worldwide but the Northern Harrier is the only harrier in North America.

Males (below left) are gray on top and whitish below with a dark trailing edge to the wing, and a black-banded tail. Adult females (below right) are brown and have whitish undersides with brown streaks. The harrier's overall body length is 18.1 – 19.7 inches with a wingspan of 40.2 – 46.5 inches.

Northern HarrierMale

Northern HarrierFemale

Northern Harriers breed in wide-open habitats where they build the nest on the ground or on a mound of dirt or vegetation. Nests are made of sticks and are lined inside with grass and leaves. Large tracts of land, like reclaimed strip-mines, are some of the best grassland birding habitats in the state. Grassland birds are abundant breeders in large grasslands and various species of birds can be located there during all seasons. During the breeding season Northern Harriers eat small mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and birds making these wide open places an attractive habitat to raise a family.

The photo below gives you an idea of how challenging it can be to photograph raptors in the large grassland habitat. Distance can be a problem.

Clarion County, PennsylvaniaReclaimed strip-mine grasslands

I began photographing these Northern Harriers in late June. Early on, I made a lot of photos of the male, referred to as "Gray Ghost". In addition to his gray coloring with white underside, his black wing tips are a good way to identify the flying Gray Ghost.

Northern HarrierMale

Northern Harriers fly low over the ground when hunting, circling over fields and marshes as they watch and listen for small animals.

Northern HarrierMale

They eat on the ground, and they perch on low posts or trees.

Northern HarrierMale

Only the female Northern Harrier incubates eggs. During that time and until the chicks are about two weeks old, the male does all the hunting. He provides nearly all of the food for her and the chicks. Instead of bringing the food directly to the nest, the male flies overhead, sometimes announcing his presence, and the female flies up to meet him. In mid-air, they do a food transfer. As the male flies high in the sky, the female flies underneath him and catches the dropped food. It was captivating to watch and I was happy to photograph a couple food transfers.

First, the male flies overhead with his catch.

Northern HarrierMale

In the left photo, you can see the male carrying a rodent and the female approaching from the bottom with outstretched legs. The center photo shows the rodent being dropped to the female. The right photo shows the talented catch in mid-air.

Northern HarrierMale/Female food transfer

Photo 1

Northern HarrierMale/Female food transfer

Photo 2

Northern HarrierMale/Female food transfer

Photo 3

Most of the time, after catching the food, she briefly landed somewhere to eat some herself. Also, she made several landings in various spots as if she is trying to fool predators by not immediately giving away the location of her nest. Another observation of mine was when the female brought food to the nest, it was usually clean of fur or feathers.

Northern HarrierFemale

It is obvious that she treasures the food her mate caught for her. Look at the way she holds it close to her body as if to hide it.

Northern HarrierFemale

Eventually, she dropped into the nest.

Northern HarrierFemale

Nearly every time she took food to her chicks, she flew off to a nearby swamp and filled her beak with soft grasses...

Northern HarrierFemale bringing nesting material to nest

and brought it back to the nest.

Northern HarrierFemale bringing nesting material to nest

There were some really long periods of time that nothing was happening. However, in the final hour before sunset, you could count on a few food deliveries before it was time to sleep. It was on these special occasions that the male would actually bring food all the way to the nest site.

Northern HarrierMale

And the female delivered food too.

Northern HarrierFemale

When a person spends so much time watching for birds in the sky, one really needs to take a moment to enjoy the beauty of the land. The hilltop grasslands provided the most spectacular sunsets.

Clarion County, PennsylvaniaReclaimed strip-mine grasslands

I made several trips to Clarion County with mixed results. My hope was to catch something unique. Occasionally, Turkey Vultures would circle above and the harriers didn't like that. One day I saw the female perched in a tree about 500 yards away from the nest when a Turkey Vulture got close to the nest. The female harrier charged the vulture, wings beating furiously, and forced the vulture in another direction.

Below is a photo of the Gray Ghost giving chase to a Turkey Vulture.

Northern HarrierMale chasing Turkey Vulture

Sometimes, after a food drop, the male would fly along the road to a sign post that I think it's safe to say is his favorite. He spent a lot of time there. Here is a short clip of the male sitting on that post. Click the icon in the center to play the video.

Northern Harrier Northern Harrier

Are you wondering what may be the real reason they call the male harrier "Gray Ghost"? Besides the obvious gray coloring that I mentioned earlier, there is another story that describes the male harrier. There was a Confederate army cavalry battalion commander named John Singleton Mosby who fought in the American Civil War. His command, the 43rd Battalion, 1st Virginia, known as Mosby's Rangers or Mosby's Raiders, was a military unit noted for its lightning quick raids and its ability to elude Union Army pursuers and disappear, blending in with local farmers and townsmen. John became known as "The Gray Ghost". I can make that connection to the male Northern Harrier. Although my eyes were focused on the skies watching for one of these big birds to come toward the nest area, sometimes the male harrier would swiftly appear out of nowhere.

Speaking of our Gray Ghost, did you know that harriers are the only hawk-like birds to practice polygyny? They are known to take care of four or five mates at one time although most have one or two. So when I didn't see the male for a couple hours, I assumed he was taking care of other mates. The wait would get rather long at times and when you least expect it, he came flying by with food like this unfortunate American Goldfinch.

Northern HarrierMale

Sometimes the female was seen gliding around as if she expected him.

Northern HarrierFemale

As a photographer, I needed to be alert when food came because their speed of food transfer was incredible. Harriers can reach speeds up to 38 mph when chasing prey. When the male came with food, I think the female came close to that mark on her approach. Once she reached the male, he dropped the rodent where she could catch it and she would eventually take it to the nest.

Northern HarrierMale/Female mid-air food transfer

Photo 1

Northern HarrierMale/Female mid-air food transfer

Photo 2

Northern HarrierMale/Female mid-air food transfer

Photo 3

As I said before, she flew around a lot with the prey before returning to the nest.

Northern HarrierFemale

And once again, she left the nest for a few minutes only to return with nesting material.

The hot, muggy day caused fog to form in the valley which was glowing under the setting sun. Clarion County, PennsylvaniaReclaimed strip-mine grasslands

When I began photographing these birds in June I preferred going in the morning. The early hours meant good light and several food transfers. As summer and its high heat arrived, the morning light became harsh much earlier in the day, casting shadows on the underside of the birds. As a response, I began to visit in the evening more often. The chicks were getting bigger and were beginning to wander on foot away from the nest. I wanted to be ready to capture their first flight and I believed the evening light enhanced that opportunity.

We had a few storms go through one evening when my wife Elena and I were making the hour long drive into Clarion County. When we arrived, we were greeted by a beautiful rainbow.

Clarion County, PennsylvaniaReclaimed strip-mine grasslands

It was awesome that we could see both ends so I drove to the top of the hill to get another perspective.

Clarion County, PennsylvaniaReclaimed strip-mine grasslands

The rain was gone but a lot of cloud cover and distant thunder remained. This was the day when we got to see the juvenile harriers for the first time. This is the third and last juvenile remaining in the nest. The other two have been making their way up the hill either walking or jumping short flights with sounds of mom's coaxing in the background. It was time to expand their territory. Notice the white downy feathers that still remained on its head.

Northern HarrierJuvenile

The Northern Harrier lays 4 - 6 eggs but rarely more. As I mentioned earlier, the female solely incubates the eggs. That process lasts 30 - 32 days. Once the chicks hatch, the female remains with the young most of the time. Once again, the male does the hunting for both the female and the chicks. After the chicks are about 2 weeks old, the female does some of the hunting for them. Since they nest on the ground, they can easily stray from the nest. After about a week the chicks are able to walk and they may move short distances away from nest but return to the nest to be fed. They are able to fly at about 30 - 35 days.

This next photograph shows mom bringing food to the nest where her young one is waiting, wings spread, in the grass.

Northern HarrierFemale & Juvenile

When the female leaves the nest she takes off with such a burst of speed that I missed the photo most of the time. On this occasion, I was ready. These two photos are a short series of her leaving the nest after dropping off the food pictured above.

Northern HarrierFemale

The sunlight was fading fast when I noticed the female perched on a low shrub at the top of the hill. The puffy, cumulus clouds provided a nice backdrop.

Northern Harrier

Suddenly, there was movement at the nest. The last nestling began to climb up the taller, stiffer weeds surrounding the nest. Now I got a really good look at it. There is a way to distinguish if a juvenile is male or female. Juvenile males have pale greenish-yellow eyes, while juvenile females have dark chocolate brown eyes. By the time they reach adulthood, the eye color of both sexes change to lemon yellow. I looked closely at all of my juvenile photos and the eyes appear dark brown. Without sunlight shining directly on the eye, even a light colored eye can appear dark so I'm not going to try to identify the gender of these juveniles.

Northern HarrierJuvenile

The third sibling was watching as its siblings were slowly putting distance between them and the nest. As the evening progressed, we saw what may be this juvenile's first flight. It was getting dark so the wings are a blur but I captured the short flight.

Northern HarrierJuvenile

After that evening, I didn't know what to expect. Would they be gone or will they return to the nest? Is it over? Well, not quite! You've seen the food transfers between the male and female and now it was time to watch the parents teach the juveniles to hunt. This was a challenge to photograph because they aren't restricted to the nesting area anymore; they have the entire hillside and more.

I waited about eight days before returning to allow time for the juveniles to grow and begin to fly more. They grew fast. On my next visit I was able to capture one of the older juveniles fly to a bush. Still having balance issues on the small twigs, it sat for about five minutes with one wing suspended on a branch as seen in the photo on the right.

Northern HarrierJuvenile

Notice the color of the juvenile. They look a lot like the female but have a chestnut colored underside instead of white streaks.

Just look at that face. Isn't it a beautiful bird?

Northern HarrierJuvenile

Feedings seem to be less frequent now. I assume it's because they can eat more so they don't need fed as often. The juveniles were spread out over the hillside now so, when mom or dad brought food to their side of the hill, I tried to be ready. Here is a photo of dad flying over the juveniles to entice them to come after the food. One soared upward but missed the dropping food.

Northern HarrierMale and Juveniles during food drop training

Photo 1

Northern HarrierMale and Juveniles during food drop training
Photo 2

The food doesn't go to waste. If it drops to the ground the male watches it carefully and the juvenile soars downward to retrieve it.

The opportunity to photograph an adult this close comes so infrequently, I have to share it.

Northern HarrierMale

Now I was getting excited about the possibilities of photographing these hawks training their young to hunt. So I kept going back! Here is a photo of the male carrying food around the hillside trying to entice the juveniles to come after it.

Northern HarrierMale

The following action happened about 300 yards away from me so I wasn't able to crop the images very close.

The male, in the top left of the photo, finally enticed two of this three youngsters to go after the food. If performed enough, the young ones realize that the strongest, fastest, and most strong willed will get the food. The training sessions eventually become a fighting match with the winner getting the drop.

Northern HarrierMale and Juveniles

The male watches as his young fight for the meal. Northern HarrierMale and Juveniles

Within seconds, there is a clear winner and it gets the food drop. It tried to catch the rodent but its timing was off. It immediately went to the ground with the food. By the way, within seconds the other two juveniles were on top of the food too.

Northern HarrierMale and Juvenile

That was a thrilling event to watch and I'm sad to say it was the last food drop I could photograph. Future food drops that I watched happened much too far away to photograph. Since it was apparent they had left the nest and were not returning, I decided to walk out and see what a harrier nest looks like. The platform is about 3 - 4 feet round. Notice in the photo below there was one unviable egg left in the nest.

Northern HarrierNest with one unviable egg

A few days went by and I decided to go back one more time. See how this can become addicting? I didn't see any food drops this day and I didn't see the Gray Ghost at all. However, I did see the juveniles flying around the field and mom watching over them. The next photo is one of the three juveniles flying close to the ground.

Northern HarrierJuvenile

Two's company right? These two juveniles share the same shrub.

Northern HarrierJuveniles

The juveniles were very cooperative on this day. Here is another nice close-up of a juvenile perched on a small shrub.

Northern HarrierJuvenile

It perched for quite a while so I made a short video. There isn't good sound on this video because I was under a blind and so was the microphone. Click the icon in the center to play the video.

Northern Harrier Juvenile Northern Harrier Juvenile

Of all the countless hours I spent watching these birds I did not see the female perch close enough for a photograph. If she wasn't perched far away, she was on the move keeping her babies safe and fed. Finally, she landed on a small shrub about 40 yards away and stayed for a couple minutes.

Northern HarrierFemale

So, my entire experience has come to a close. This was a fascinating experience to watch this process from nearly the beginning to the successful fledging of three healthy Northern Harriers. I'm going to end this blog with a juvenile flying at you.

Northern HarrierJuvenile

If you are interested to see these, and additional photos of the Northern Harriers, you can view my Northern Harrier gallery.

All of the bird photographs in this photo blog were made using a Canon 1DX MK II body and a Canon 600mm f/4 II lens. I also used a Canon 1.4 extender III most of the time.

Thanks for looking,

Dan

A Brief Encounter With Bald Eagle Siblings

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Thu, 11 Aug 2016 22:28:17 GMT

For several years, a pair of Bald Eagles have been nesting on the same flooded swamp in the 2,856 acre Maurice K. Goddard State Park in Mercer County, Pennsylvania. The nest is located about 180 yards from the road making photography of the nest challenging. Most of the time the eagles are in the woods line near the nest making Bald Eagle close-ups impossible.

This year the pair of eagles successfully raised two healthy looking fledglings. Now that they are full-size and playing around the pond, they can be found in locations with better photographic possibilities.

This photo blog is about one day, July 17, 2016, when I decided to pay the eagles a brief visit. Both juveniles were playful on this day. I caught them flying from tree to tree sometimes even fighting over the same perch. I made several photographs on this day and I'd like to share some of them with you.

I remember this moment when this juvenile was calling and watching its sibling approach, seemingly expecting it to share the same perch.

Bald EagleJuvenile

Apparently, its sibling didn't share the same idea, leaving this one watching for the others' destination.

Bald EagleJuvenile

Sometimes birds will land in the craziest places. With all the dead trees and open limbs in this swamp, it tries to land on this!

Bald EagleJuvenile

Shows you what I know. Now both eagles think this is a good place to land.

Bald Eagle

At least one found a little more comfortable spot to sit until they discover their next adventure.

Bald EagleJuvenile

Even though they are only about five months old, they already have this flying thing mastered. Wings up!

Bald EagleJuvenile

Jump and flap!

Bald EagleJuvenile

One part of this day I wish I could share is when they landed in shallow water at the edge of the swamp. Both eagles went there several times to splash in the water. All I could see were wing tips and water splashing so there aren't any photos to share.

Below is one of the eagles landing on an intermediate perch before continuing into the water.

Bald EagleJuvenile

I hope you enjoyed the photos of these Bald Eagle kids being kids.

Thanks for looking,

Dan

A Look Inside an Osprey Nest

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Mon, 08 Aug 2016 21:50:13 GMT

It was getting late in the nesting season when I went to watch an active osprey nest. The experience of watching a fraction of their lives on the nest and the different emotions they display, was very interesting. They are faced with challenges every day. I got to witness how they handle some of those challenges and I'd like to share that experience with you.

This is mom sitting on the nest with her three chicks. No, I didn't count incorrectly. The third chick is low in the front of the nest. You'll see it later. Notice that the eyes of the chicks are orange-brown and the parent is yellow. Actually, Osprey chicks hatch with blue eyes that change to orange-brown. As they mature, the eyes turn yellow.

Osprey

It looked like mom was feeding one of her chicks but their beaks were empty. Perhaps she was telling it "you'll be first when the next fish arrives".

Osprey

As the chicks grow, they will spread their wings more often and begin flapping in preparation for their first flight. I love it that mom and sibling keep their cool even with a wing in their face. Mom even gets a pat on the back with the flight feathers.

Osprey

Here comes dad into the nest. The wind was blowing into my face that day and since birds generally take off and land into the wind, I knew I wouldn't get any landing shots coming toward me. I was wondering why he brought another stick to the nest in this late stage of the nesting season. His mate and all three chicks watch intently as he glides in.

Osprey

Here is a tight shot of both parents on the nest. Dad is in the front.

Osprey

During my stay, dad made several trips to the nest but didn't stay long.

Osprey

Here is a good look at mom and all her chicks.

Osprey

Within 15 minutes, dad came back with some twigs and grasses.

Osprey

So far, that seems like a pretty easy day. Sitting on the nest preening while waiting for dad to bring nesting material and food to the nest. It wasn't really like that at all. Besides dealing with the varying weather like high wind gusts, rain, and sun, mom had to deal with another Osprey circling the nest that was not part of her flock. She became very vocal and stood her ground to protect her nest and chicks. She flew up to a stick just to the left of the nest and using her tail and wings, she made herself look larger to intimidate the intruder.

OspreyAn Osprey from outside of their group was flying too near the nest.

I made several short video clips throughout the morning. Some of the clips simply show time spent on the nest but I also included some of the action when the intruder arrived. Mom's vocalizations at the beginning of the video are communications with her mate who was either perched in a nearby tree or flying nearby. Listen carefully when mom is being vocal when the intruder arrives, you will hear the chicks calling from the nest too. Also, take note that when trouble is near, the chicks are all hunched down in the nest for protection.

This video is a little over four minutes long so, depending on your internet connection speed, it may take a minute to load before it plays. Please click the play icon and wait.

Osprey Ospreye="file_caption"

Here is one last intimidating look at mom fending off the intruder. I sure admire her tenacity and am happy to say she and family are well.

OspreyAn Osprey from outside of their group was flying too near the nest.

Thanks for looking,

Dan

Merlin: The Lady Hawk

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Sun, 31 Jul 2016 22:59:50 GMT

Merlin

I recently had an opportunity to photograph a family of Merlin that nested in Erie County, Pennsylvania. The Merlin is a speedy, fierce falcon that chases songbirds and shorebirds and snatches them right out of the sky. This family consisted of two adults and three fledglings.

I am going to refrain from identifying which are male and female in this blog because frankly, I'm not sure. Adult male Merlins are slaty gray to dark gray; females and immatures are browner. Obviously, the three immatures are going to look like females and although I have a few photos of what I think are males, I'll just leave it at that.

Merlins are found nesting in forested openings, forest edges, and along rivers across northern North America. They have also begun nesting in towns and cities.

This nest is one of three known nests in Erie County, this year. Now, to most people that's not a big deal but if you look at a range map you will soon realize that a Merlin nest in Pennsylvania is really something special.

I posted two Merlin range maps below. The one on the left is the Audubon range map. The one on the right is from Cornell Lab of Ornithology. You can see on both, Pennsylvania is not supposed to be a breeding location.

Merlin Audubon Range Map

Merlin Cornell Range Map

Merlins don’t build their own nests. Instead, they take over the old nests of other raptors or crows, making few, if any, modifications to the original nest. The nest this group used is located in a Norway Spruce in a long row of the same. Unfortunate for me and other birders, they rarely reuse a nest in subsequent years. That is good news for songbirds as their absence was noticeable.

The first couple hours I watched these birds, they spent their time in what seemed to be a favorite perching tree, leaving only a few times for short flights. Normally a solitary bird, traveling alone or in pairs, this young family was still together. Before taking flight, they become very vocal and it continues during flight. Homeowners in the area claim they are very noisy at night making sleeping with the windows open difficult.

Merlin

A lot of the time spent in that tree was spent preening or grooming themselves. After realizing how fast these birds are, it is a pleasure that I got to see them sitting still for long periods of time allowing me to make these photographs.

Merlin

In case you were wondering how big these birds are, here a few statistics. Their length is 9.4 - 11.8 inches, wingspan is 20.9 - 26.8 inches, and they weigh between 5.6 and 8.5 oz.

Merlin

Have you wondered yet where the term "lady hawk" originated? Well, medieval falconers called them “lady hawks” and noblewomen used them to hunt Sky Larks. Catherine the Great and Mary Queen of Scots were among the people who would cast the Merlin and Skylarks into battle to test their aerial abilities.

One of the "cute" characteristics that I noticed watching these birds is they like to stand on one foot and hold the other out in front of themselves. Not quite sure why; maybe just stretching.

Merlin

Here is a short video I made while watching two of the five Merlins in a tree. I have the volume down in the video to block out some of the extra noise as I was standing in the backyard in a residential community. Click on the icon to begin the video.

Merlin Merlin

I think this Merlin found peeling the bark from this dead tree branch enjoyable. It walked up and down the branch for several minutes peeling the bark and dropping it.

Merlin

The Merlin is not much bigger than the more common American Kestrel. A Merlin is heavier and often appears considerably larger. As with most raptors, female Merlins are larger than males.

Merlin

Like other falcons, the Merlin is a strong and maneuverable flier. Their typical flight speed is 30 miles per hour but can be faster during chases. Despite their small size, the speed they flap their wings make them look powerful in flight. I was using a Canon 600mm f/4 lens with a 1.4x extender making a focal length of 840mm on a Canon 1DX MK II full-frame body. Because of the 840mm focal length, I made few attempts at flight photos because they were difficult to track. I was lucky to get the following photo during a Merlin flyby.

Merlin

There is a long list of what Merlins eat. I'll simplify the list for this blog but if you want to learn more about their habitat and eating habits, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology is a good place to look.

So, Merlins eat mostly birds. As I mentioned earlier, they catch them in midair, high-speed attacks. Their prey is generally small to medium-sized birds in the 1 - 2 ounce range. Common prey include Horned Lark, House Sparrow, Waxwing, Dickcissel, Least Sandpiper, Dunlin, and other shorebirds. Most falcons will attack and stand on their prey, not a Merlin. Merlins attack at high speed, horizontally or even from below, chasing the prey upwards until they tire. Other prey include large insects such as dragonflies, bats, nestling birds, and small mammals. Merlins will also work in pairs where one Merlin flushes a flock of small birds by attacking from below; the other comes in moments later to take advantage of the confusion.

I said earlier that I didn't make many attempts to photograph the Merlin during flight. I couldn't keep up most of the time. So, when one of the Merlins caught a small bird and the other opportunistic Merlins began chase, I turned focus onto the spruce trees that they were flying towards. That allowed me to unknowingly photograph the following sequence of photos of one bird trying to steal the prey from another Merlin's talons.

You can see the outstretched leg of the bird on the left trying to grab the prey from the flying Merlin.

Merlin

Unwilling to let go, the bird on the left is pulled from its perch.

Merlin

The chase continues. Notice the feathers in the beak of the bird in pursuit.

Merlin

The grip of the bird that caught the prey proved to be too much and it got away from the potential thief.

Merlin

I unknowingly shot that sequence because it happened so fast. Thankfully, my focus turned toward their destination instead of trying to photograph the near impossible; a Merlin in flight.

Later, after the birds calmed down, this young Merlin sat in the sun for a few minutes.

Merlin

I kept my lens pointed in its direction waiting for the moment of takeoff. Finally, it happened.

Merlin

I'd like to thank my friend Larry Slomski for tipping me off about this special opportunity and introducing me to the property owners where I would find the birds. Dan & Sue and Dale were gracious enough to allow me to run around their properties to get the best angles on these birds and their hospitality was second to none. Thank you again.

Thanks for looking,

Dan

Tall Tree Tapper

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Wed, 27 Jul 2016 00:14:36 GMT

In late July of last year, my friend Larry Slomski invited me to a marsh in Northwestern Pennsylvania to photograph nesting Red-headed Woodpeckers. I was able to make a few photos of the adults that day but we were too late to see them feeding their young; they had already fledged and there was no sign of a second brood. In early June of this year, we decided to meet in the same spot to try to catch a glimpse of the chicks.

There were active nests all around the swamp, indicated by several Red-headed Woodpeckers flying around collecting insects. They are very territorial birds so each pair stayed in their own territory.

The most usual place to see a Red-headed Woodpecker perched is at the tip of a dead tree limb.

Red-headed Woodpecker

The male has the chore of locating the nest site. After the male selects a site for a nest hole, the female will tap on it to signal her acceptance and he will begin excavation. They prefer to nest in dead trees or dead parts of living trees at least 65 feet above the ground. They like to choose trees that have a smooth, bark-less trunk. That deters snakes from crawling up its sides.

Their typical clutch size is 3–10 eggs and they’ll produce about 1-2 broods a year. Incubation is done by both sexes. Incidentally, once a pair have mated, they may stay together for several years.

That morning, we witnessed several feedings of what appeared to be a lone chick.

Red-headed Woodpecker

During feeding times, I would say the adult bring food to the nest about every 5 – 10 minutes. As the chicks grow, less trips to the nest is required.

Red-headed Woodpecker

The chicks are fed by both parents, and leave the nest at about 27-31 days. As I said earlier, they produce 1 - 2 broods a year so pairs may be starting on a 2nd nesting attempt while still feeding the fledglings from the first. The 2nd brood may be raised in the same nest but more often in a new cavity.

Red-headed Woodpecker

Red-headed Woodpeckers are one of the most skillful fly catchers among the North American woodpeckers. They typically catch aerial insects by spotting them from a perch and fly out to grab them.

Red-headed Woodpecker

Their diet consist of insects, fruits, and seeds. The meal of choice on this day was mainly seeds with an occasional insect.

Red-headed Woodpecker

This small insect isn't worth a trip to the nest. It continued to look for more.

Red-headed Woodpecker

It definitely wasn’t quiet in the marsh that morning. While the Gray Squirrels moved about quietly, we were loudly serenaded by a male Hooded Warbler. We got a glimpse of him and his mate as they flew low and past our heads a couple times. Nearby nesting Bald Eagles were plentiful too and we also saw a pair of Pileated Woodpeckers in the swamp that day. Both male and female Pileated Woodpeckers came in close at one time or another but remained high in the trees. I didn’t take any photos. Another bird we saw flying around was a Northern Flicker. There was a pattern to its flights, ending in the same tree each time. Earlier in the year Larry saw the same flickers tapping a dead tree and he suspected they were building a nest.

Following up on that notion, we quietly walked to a good vantage point and waited. Soon a female adult Northern Flicker brought food for her chicks. There were three chicks in the nesting cavity but we only saw two most of the time.

Northern FlickerFemale

The close-by, successful, flicker nest was a surprise because Red-headed Woodpeckers are fierce defenders of their territory. They may remove the eggs of other species from nests and ultimately destroy their nests.

Feeding began to become more infrequent as the sun, and heat, began to raise too high. Larry and I decided to pack it up and call it a day.

Thanks for looking,

Dan

Sharing the Wild - Take Two

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Sun, 24 Jul 2016 23:11:49 GMT

This photo blog post is a continuation of "Sharing The Wild - Take One". If you haven't seen it, check it out before continuing.

Thanks for returning for "Take Two" of my two part photo blog sharing wildlife photos from May and June of this year.

Let's continue.

"Jake's Flock" - Wild Turkey

Wild TurkeyMale (Tom, Gobbler, or Cock but in Europe they are called Stags)

"Showoff" - Wild Turkey

Wild TurkeyMale (Tom, Gobbler, or Cock but in Europe they are called Stags)

"Hot Stuff" - Ovenbird

Ovenbird

"DO RA ME" - Black-capped Chickadee

Black-capped Chickadee

"Fire Truck Red" - Scarlet Tanager

Scarlet TanagerMale

"The Last Berry" - Cedar Waxwing

Cedar Waxwing

"Thinking About It" - Cedar Waxwing

Cedar Waxwing

"Cool Relief" - Cedar Waxwing

Cedar Waxwing

"The Lookout" - Blue-winged Warbler

Blue-winged WarblerMale

"Bushytail" - Gray Squirrel

Eastern Gray Squirrel

"Evening Stroll" - Sandhill Crane

Sandhill Crane

"The Scolding" - Sandhill Crane

Sandhill Crane

"Streeeeetch" - Sandhill Crane

Sandhill Crane

"Sing Me A Song" - Grasshopper Sparrow

Grasshopper Sparrow

"Here Come The Redcoats" - White-tailed Deer

White-tailed Deer

"Black and Gold Attitude" - American Goldfinch

American GoldfinchMale

"Finchy" - House Sparrow

House SparrowMale

"Spot On" - Song Sparrow

Song Sparrow

"Bottom's Up" - House Wren

House Wren

"Daisy Maisy" - White-tailed Deer

White-tailed Deer

"Frosty" - White-tailed Deer

White-tailed Deer

"Perfect" - White-tailed Deer

White-tailed Deer

"Side By Side" - White-tailed Deer

White-tailed Deer

Thanks for looking,

Dan

Sharing the Wild - Take One

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Tue, 19 Jul 2016 23:30:12 GMT

Most of the time, my time afield has a purpose. Weather it's time to photograph Pennsylvania's Elk herd in Elk county, Bald Eagles around our many lakes, birds of all kinds singing or searching for food, or the White-tailed Deer, you just never know what else you are going to find. I don't pass up a photographic opportunity but when I write my themed wildlife photo blogs, there isn't a place to put the "extras".

Wildlife is too interesting and beautiful to not share so this photo blog (Take One), and the next one (Take Two), will be filled with all the extra photos I've made in May and June of 2016.

I'll give you all a break and leave out the stories and animal facts this time. I'll simply leave you with a title and identification so please enjoy.

"Growing Up" - Red Fox kit

Red FoxKit

"Got An Itch" - Red Fox kit

Red FoxKit

"Under Cover" - American Robin

American Robin

"Morning Stroll" - Ring-necked Pheasant (hen & cock)

Ring-necked PheasantHen and Cock

"High Alert" - Ring-necked Pheasant (cock)

Ring-necked PheasantCock

"Sweetness" - Ring-necked Pheasant (hen)

Ring-necked PheasantHen

"I'm Talking To You" - Ring-necked Pheasant (cock)

Ring-necked PheasantCock

"A Mother's Newborn" - White-tailed Deer

White-tailed DeerNotice the fawn

"Buttons" - White-tailed Deer

White-tailed Deer

"Red Alert, Red Alert" - Northern Cardinal

Northern CardinalMale

"Laying Low" - House Wren

House Wren

"Chatterbox" - Red Squirrel

Red Squirrel

"See What I Got" - White-tailed Deer

White-tailed Deer

"Growing Into The Feet" - Ruffed Grouse (cheeper)

Ruffed GrouseFledgling

"Right-side Up" - White-breasted Nuthatch

White-breasted Nuthatch

"Wingman" - Blue-winged Warbler

Blue-winged WarblerMale

"Curious" - Blue-headed Vireo

Blue-headed VireoMale

"Watching You" - Osprey

Osprey

"Busy Builder" - Beaver

Beaver

"Ready To Go" - Muskrat

Muskrat

"Into The Sunset" - Sandhill Crane

Sandhill CraneFlying into the sunset

"The Velvet Rack" - American Elk

PA Elk (June, 2016)Elk County, PA

"Good Eats" - American Elk

PA Elk (June, 2016)Elk County, PA

"Flossing" - American Elk

PA Elk (June, 2016)Elk County, PA

"Thorny Snack" - American Elk

PA Elk (June, 2016)Elk County, PA

"Splish Splash" - Gray Catbird

Gray Catbird

Thanks for looking,

Dan

Birding Ohio’s Crane Creek - Magee Region Day 3

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Fri, 08 Jul 2016 17:05:24 GMT

Continued from "Birding Ohio’s Crane Creek - Magee Region Day 2".

"Birding Ohio’s Crane Creek - Magee Region Day 1".

I woke up better rested on this Sunday morning. It was a little chilly again but at least the sun was shining. After packing the vehicle to go home, Elena and I bid Farewell to our Oregon, Ohio family and I apologized for not spending much time with them. Of course, they understand that when we visit in May, they usually don't know I'm there until evening.

Elena and I arrived at the entrance to Magee Marsh about 8:00 this morning and planned to begin our drive home right around lunch time. Okay, that gives me four hours. Let's go!

There is approximately a 1 mile drive from Route 2 to the parking lots of Magee Marsh. Along that route, you pass through some woods, shrubby areas, canals, lakes and finally, marshland. I spotted this Green Heron standing on a log in one of the canals so I pulled over and photographed it out of the vehicle window.
Green Heron

Continuing down the road past the lakes, we saw a lone Double-crested Cormorant. They are a skittish bird and I barely got my lens out the window and it was already getting the heck outta there.

Double-crested Cormorant

We made it all the way back to a fairly empty parking lot. It's Sunday so most of the campers and vacationers are on their way home. Locals are probably in church so that left the boardwalk wide open. One of the first birds we saw was a Red-eyed Vireo.

Deep shadows tend to darken and camouflage the colors of birds but you can still see the red eye of this Red-eyed Vireo.

Red-eyed Vireo

Many of the species I saw the last couple days were gone but a few other species showed up. I'm glad I was able to be here during a weather event that caused migration movement. When I realized it was different this day, I began to look hard at all the little birds I saw. The next photo is a male Cape May Warbler. A man named Alexander Wilson first described this bird in Cape May, New Jersey. After that first time, Cape May Warblers were not recorded in Cape May for more than 100 years.

Cape May WarblerMale

I see a lot of Yellow-rumped Warblers but when the opportunity arises, I like to try to improve on my portraits.

Yellow-rumped WarblerMale

The running joke around the Magee Marsh Boardwalk is people leave in the evening with "Warbler Neck", referring to the pain in the neck you have from looking up all day. However, not everything is in the trees. There are a lot of American Woodcock in northern Ohio. I happened to find one of them.

American Woodcock

Since it wasn't very busy on the boardwalk this Sunday morning, I was able to have some quiet time with the woodcock to shoot some video. This video shows the interesting way a woodcock probes the soft ground for food. Click the icon in the center to watch the video. American Woodcock American Woodcock

One of my all-time favorite warblers to photograph is the Blackburnian Warbler. It is the only warbler with an orange throat. Most of the time these guys stay high in the trees, only giving us one viewpoint, the birds rump. I normally don't shoot rumps. Maybe it was the weather but we found a couple Blackburnian Warblers feeding low in the trees.

Just when I said I don't shoot birds' rumps, what do I do? I shoot the birds rump. This pose was too cute to pass up.

Blackburnian WarblerMale

The Blackburnian Warbler is breathtaking in its black & orange breeding plumage.

Blackburnian WarblerMale

Another of my favorite birds is the Northern Parula. The birds were being especially friendly on this day.

Northern ParulaMale

I spent about an hour waiting for a Chestnut-sided Warbler to come to a nice open branch for a portrait. These guys kept going behind leaves, down low in the shrubs, high in the canopy, and sometimes they came so close my camera wouldn't focus. I finally got a nice series and I forced myself to move on.

Chestnut-sided WarblerMale

Of all the thrushes I believe I see the Gray-cheeked Thrush the least. They are known to be a shy, dweller of the underbrush, and is infrequently seen.

Gray-cheeked Thrush

Unlike the Gray-cheeked Thrush, the Hermit Thrush is found mostly in the understories of far northern forests in summer and is a frequent winter resident across much of the country. They find their food by rummaging through leaf litter on the forest floor.

I was standing with a group of people, who I did not know, watching for this Hermit Thrush to show itself. It was deep in the brush, behind leaves, and just wasn't coming out. We didn't know yet that it was a Hermit Thrush because we couldn't see it. We only saw movement. After waiting about 15 minutes, I think most of the people were giving up on it and began talking among themselves, leafing through their bird guides and telling stories of species they saw that day. I think I was the only person focused on this birds movement. All of a sudden it jumped onto this dead branch, counted one-thousand one, one-thousand two, and disappeared again. Nobody but me saw it and I got the photo. What's the moral of this story? Pay attention, you never know when you are going to see something at Magee Marsh.

Hermit Thrush

That concludes the story of our three day visit to northern Ohio's birding country. I wanted this to be more than just a story of my three days photographing wildlife. I wanted to show the wonderful little creatures that show up, in this region, each spring. Some stay but most of them move on to territories farther north. They don't seem to care you are there and it gives you a great opportunity to see some bird species for the first time. Introduce your kids to birding and the fun of trying to identify a new species, or identify them by song. You'll know they fell for it when they get excited to cross a bird off of their "life list". And you know they will.

If you happened to find this blog post and missed the first two, you can find them at:

Birding Ohio’s Crane Creek - Magee Region Day 1

Birding Ohio’s Crane Creek - Magee Region Day 2

Thanks for looking,

Dan

Birding Ohio’s Crane Creek - Magee Region Day 2

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Tue, 05 Jul 2016 23:51:03 GMT

Continued from "Birding Ohio’s Crane Creek - Magee Region Day 1".

Saturday morning came slowly as I kept waking up wondering if it was time to get up yet. Finally, morning came and I woke to a downpour. No worries, I had my rain gear and hoped the cold front kept the birds grounded. I was just a little concerned about the light but I had my Canon 580 EXII flash fitted with a Better Beamer to extend and narrow the light beam. It was actually exciting because the rain and wind might bring some birds closer to the ground providing better viewing.

I was at Magee Marsh by 7:00 on that chilly, wet morning. Forecast called for 20 mph wind and temperatures in the low 50's so I doubled up on my clothing. Before entering the boardwalk, I decided to take a walk to the beach area that connects Magee and Ottawa. The wind was very strong so the likelihood of finding many birds along the beach was slim. Many birds will actually go ¼ to ½ mile inland when winds pick up.

Lake Erie Shoreline @ Magee MarshOak Harbor, OH

With no promise of seeing birds on the beach, I headed into the west entrance of the boardwalk. Here is a word of caution: If you go, beware of a wet boardwalk. You need to walk like you are on an ice rink. I saw a few people fall on their behinds. The rain stopped soon after I arrived at Magee and the sun even peaked out a few times during the day. It even rained with sunshine a few times, keeping the boardwalk wet most of the day.

Even in cool weather, the month of May means a lot of people visit this area. Don’t worry though, no matter how crowded it gets, everyone is there for the same reason so be kind and take your turn checking out the birds.

A Prothonotary Warbler pair are using a nesting box in the swamp. I managed to get a few shots of the female Prothonotary Warbler.

Prothonotary WarblerFemale

The male Wilson's Warbler has an unmistakable black cap.

Wilson's WarblerMale

On this day, the Scarlet Tanagers were having a blast chasing down little insects in the tall trees. Very few came low enough or close enough but I managed to get a few long distance shots.

Scarlet TanagerMale

I broke for lunch about noon and met up in the parking lot with a good friend, Dean Williams and his brother-in-law Shawn, who were camping nearby. We sat between vehicles to stay out of the cold wind and swapped birding stories. That was a nice break for lunch but we didn't drive all that way to chat in the parking lot so we cleaned up and went our separate ways.

Back on the Magee Marsh boardwalk, when a rare species is spotted, a large crowd will gather very quickly. When you find a group of people, they are always happy to tell you what they are watching. I'm not trying to be funny but sometimes I've seen large crowds like this for birds that I see or hear almost daily, like a Common Yellowthroat. People from all over the country converge here in May of each year so you have to imagine there are some who don't get to see very many birds, except pigeons.

I was watching a section of the marsh while a male American Redstart was flitting around looking for insects. He gave me a few good views.

American RedstartMale

Nearby, but further away, was a female American Redstart. By the way, if you go to Magee Marsh in the middle of May, you will see a lot of American Redstarts. Although the lighting wasn't the best, this female redstart gave me a nice pose.

American RedstartFemale

I learned something on this day. I saw this next bird moving about the trees and shrubs and I brushed it off as a female redstart. As somebody walked up and asked me what I was seeing, I told them a female American Redstart. A birder was standing nearby and pointed out the black marking under this birds chin which indicates it is a first year (hatched last spring) male redstart. There is so much to learn about our wonderful world of birds.

American Redstart1st Year Male

This is the only photo I got of a Bay-breasted Warbler this year. It was perched high with a bright sky behind. I was using flash so with that extra light and a little work in Photoshop, I was able to bring out the details. It's shots like these that make me realize my Photoshop skills need improvement.

Bay-breasted WarblerMale

The Magnolia Warblers really put on a show this day. Sometimes they came so close the camera couldn't focus so I had to wait until they moved away from me.

Magnolia WarblerMale

This next bird I did not find alone. I wandered up on a group of people crawling on their hands and knees along the boardwalk, looking at something on the ground. As I approached from behind I saw it. A Whip-poor-will! What a cool find; I had to make a portrait. Next thing you know I'm laying on my belly to get a clear view of the Whip-poor-will. This is one portrait that I didn't mind the eyes being closed.

Eastern Whip-poor-will

One thing I have to say about the people at Magee Marsh; they are very helpful. Many want to talk to me about photography. Some admire my equipment and many make it a point to come find me after they've seen something special. One lady tracked me down to tell me a Black-throated Blue Warbler has been seen and told me where to find it. He hopped around inside the thicker vegetation, stopping occasionally to sing for us. This was the best shot he gave to me.

Black-throated Blue WarblerMale

Clouds rolled in again about 3:00 on this chilly afternoon and birdwatchers were still searching for warblers along the boardwalk.

I left Magee Marsh about 4:30 that afternoon in order to be on time for our dinner plans. On my way back to my neice's home in Oregon, I drove into an area called Metzger Marsh Wildlife Area. I photographed a Mink there a couple years ago and, since it was late in the day, I hoped I might see another. I didn't see a Mink this day but I did photograph this Great Blue Heron, clinging onto some low shrubs, while watching for fish in the fast moving water.

Great Blue Heron

That evening after dinner, I paged through some of the photos I got on this second day and shared the good ones with everyone. Sunday was going to be our final day in northern Ohio and there was a few species of warblers that I wanted to improve upon my photos. I was pretty tired this night so even with all the photography thoughts going through my head, there was a good chance I would be getting a good night's sleep.

I hope you enjoyed day 2 of this visit to northern Ohio's birding country. You can go straight to my final blog of this visit here: "Birding Ohio’s Crane Creek - Magee Region Day 3".

If you happened to find this blog post and missed the first one, you can find it at:

Birding Ohio’s Crane Creek - Magee Region Day 1

Dan

Birding Ohio’s Crane Creek - Magee Region Day 1

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Fri, 01 Jul 2016 22:04:04 GMT

Whether you do it with an expensive camera and lens, a Point and Shoot, or binoculars, birding has become a popular pastime for many people. I hear and read about places all over the United States that provide excellent bird viewing opportunities throughout the seasons. Consequently, birders from all over North America have heard about the bird-rich section of northern Ohio between Toledo and Sandusky, Ohio referred to as "the Crane Creek - Magee Region".

On a pleasant June morning, about four years ago, I was standing on a small section of boardwalk in the prairie at Jennings Environmental Education Center in Slippery Rock, PA. I was standing in front of my photography gear, set up for any warblers that may come my way when an elderly man walked up to me and asked if I’ve ever been to Magee Marsh. My immediate response was “No, where is that?” He explained to me that hundreds of bird species can be seen in the Magee Marsh area during spring migration. Migrating birds will stop to refuel before making the jump across Lake Erie to points north. If you are there at the right time, this stopover is a great place to see and photograph birds. There have been as many as 300 species found in the area. Needless to say, my interest was piqued. I visited the following May and have returned year after year ever since.

In this three part photo blog, I’m going to share the experience of visiting Crane Creek – Magee Region. More specifically, I’d like to focus on the Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge and Magee Marsh areas.

So, grab a cup of coffee, sit back and relax because we’re going to Ohio.

Spring birding in this Ohio region doesn’t fade away at 11 am and remain quiet until dusk. You can count on an exciting day of birdwatching that may even make you forget to eat your lunch. About 2:00 in the afternoon your stomach will begin to growl and you will wonder where the time went.

One of the two areas I’ll take you to is the Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge manages about 6,500 acres of wetland, grassland, and wooded habitat. It provides habitat for a diversity of waterfowl and other migratory birds, resident wildlife, and endangered and threatened species. The other area is Magee Marsh.

Magee Marsh Boardwalk Map

It is said there are about 37 species of warblers that usually make an appearance at Magee Marsh. Think of it, each spring there are thousands of birds weighing less than an ounce making at least a 1,200 mile journey north to raise their families. The birds going all the way to Canada need someplace to rest and feed before crossing Lake Erie. They tend to gather on the forested beach ridges in large numbers and provide spectacular bird watching opportunities. A boardwalk meandering through the swamp aids tremendously in bird viewing (see map on the left). In May of each year, they have a birding festival called Biggest Week In American Birding.

On the morning of Friday the 13th, (Yes, I know!) my wife Elena and I left home very early to make the 3.5 hour trip to Magee Marsh. There aren't any hotels in the immediate area so search in a 20 mile radius of Oak Harbor, Ohio to find one. Nearby Port Clinton has hotels and a lot of evening activities too. Anyway, we made arrangements to stay with our niece, who lives 18 miles from Magee. Elena arranged to spend a few hours birdwatching before joining up with family.

Once you enter the Magee Marsh parking lots, you will find two active Bald Eagle nests. I don’t spend a lot of time watching these nests as I have plenty of opportunity for that at home, but it’s hard to pass up the awesome photo opportunities the mature eagles provide as they come and go from the nests.

Bald Eagle

This adult made several trips out into the marshes and returning with talons full of soft, marsh grasses. I'm assuming they were collecting the soft grasses to line the bole of the nest for the eaglets.

Bald Eagle

Walking the woods line between the parking lots and the marsh can be rewarding too. Although certain areas of Magee Marsh have habitat that certain species of birds like, it is hard to say specifically what you will find on any given day. One species that I always look for in the tall trees in and around the easternmost parking lot is the Common Nighthawk. Sure enough, this one gave a lot of people a chance to see a nighthawk during the day. This isn’t my first Common Nighthawk but it is my first that had its eyes open. Yippee!

Common Nighthawk

Several birds can be found along the woods line too. Every year, people bring oranges, cut them and hang the orange halves in the trees to attract Baltimore Orioles. The orioles sure love them and hang around the "orange trees" all day.

Baltimore OrioleMale

When you approach the boardwalk you can hear the songs of hundreds of warblers. That sweet sound gets me charged up wondering what I'm going to photograph this day. Below is the sign that they installed last year at both entrances to the boardwalk.

We started out on the east entrance this morning. About 150 yards in, the boardwalk became jammed with birdwatchers.

The woods surrounding this section of the boardwalk is very dense and sometimes very difficult to photograph birds. It is one of the reasons I usually pass it by. Today, we found some Tennessee, Nashville, and Yellow Warblers among a few other birds.

This Tennessee Warbler has pollen all over his beak from probing for insects in the willow catkins.

Tennessee WarblerMale

Isn't it a coincidence that I found a Nashville Warbler hanging in the same tree as a Tennessee Warbler? Check out the insect on the tip of his tongue.

Nashville WarblerMale

Next, a Male Yellow Warbler checks out the underside of the branches.

Yellow WarblerMale

In the distance, a Great Crested Flycatcher showed up.

Great Crested Flycatcher

After birding in this section slowed down, I headed into the central portion of the boardwalk where you can find warblers that tend to stay in the forested areas. One of the birds I found was this male Black-and-white Warbler.

Black-and-white WarblerMale

Another warbler that was plentiful this year is the Black-throated Green Warbler.

Black-throated Green WarblerMale

We made our way through the entire boardwalk and decided to watch the woods line outside of the east entrance. Elena said I am never in any photos so she grabbed my second camera and snapped this shot.

Dan at Magee MarshOak Harbor, OH

Right around lunchtime our niece and her family drove over to pick up Elena to go do other things. I decided to stay until dusk so I said "see ya later". I ate my lunch in the parking lot and headed back into the boardwalk to see if anything else came into the open.

I guess the birds are more powerful than hunger pangs as these birders remained on the boardwalk through lunch.

The Northern Cardinal, Ohio's state bird, made a statement when he landed in the sea of green.

Northern CardinalMale

Just like the Tennessee and Nashville Warblers, this White-throated Sparrow had his beak into some willow catkins.

White-throated Sparrow

The Eastern Screech Owl can be very difficult to see. This bird was about 25 feet up in a tree that was rooted about 30 yards from the boardwalk. I wish I could say I found it, but I can't. A group of people pointed it out to me as I was walking past. I gotta get better at finding the hidden gems.

Eastern Screech Owl

When the trees began to block the setting sun, I hopped into the car and went 1/2 mile west to the Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge. A large marshland on the east side of the park is accessible by car. It provides a perfect opportunity for magical "golden hour" photography.

On my way into the refuge, I passed a few Canada Goose families. I couldn't pass up the fuzzy little geese that were still small enough that they needed to be near a parent and close together as if they kept each other warm.

Canada GooseGosling

As I continued down the road into the refuge, I began to find Great Egrets.

Great Egret

I enjoyed watching them fish but I love an opportunity to catch them in the air.

Great Egret

They appear to be lanky, yet they are graceful.

Great Egret

As this day was coming to a close, it was a great surprise to find a few Trumpeter Swans. I photographed this one as it laid on a mound in the middle of the marsh at Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge.

Trumpeter Swan

That wraps up my first day of bird photography in northern Ohio. I joined up with my wife, our niece and her family at their home in nearby Oregon, Ohio and had an enjoyable evening. Like a kid at Christmas, I couldn’t go to sleep in anticipation of what I might see at Magee Marsh the next day.

Go straight to "Birding Ohio’s Crane Creek - Magee Region Day 2" for more birding activity.

Dan

Exploring Our Grasslands

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Tue, 21 Jun 2016 21:48:32 GMT

In this blog post I'd like to share a few photos I made in our grassland areas. Grassland birds are difficult to photograph because they spend much of their time in the grasses low to the ground so they are heard but not seen. Occasionally, they will perch on top of a small shrub or rigid stem of a meadow flower, providing opportunities for photography. I have to admit, there are ways to make it possible to photograph many species in our grasslands but it's time consuming and travel heavy because different locations hold different species.

With that said, there are many more grassland birds in the Pennsylvania countryside than I have in this photo blog. I'd like to share what I have.

Prairies are home to a wide variety of grassland birds. Grassland birds require large, open areas of tallgrass prairie and sedge meadow. They prefer treeless areas because trees provide shelter for predators. Here in western Pennsylvania, a lot of our grasslands birds are found in unmowed farm fields, reclaimed strip mines, and areas designated as grassland/prairie habitat in state parks and state game lands.

One of the most fun, and challenging, birds to find is the Bobolink. Their bubbly song has been compared to the sound of R2D2 from Star Wars. Since Bobolinks often sing in flight, look in the air when you hear them sing. I found the Bobolinks in the next few photos at Volant Strips in Lawrence County, PA and state game land 311 in Benezette, PA.

BobolinkMale

Bobolinks are an interesting looking bird. No other bird in North America has a white back and black underparts. Males also have a rich, straw-colored patch on the back of his head. By the end of summer, they will molt into a buff and brown, female like plumage.

BobolinkMale

Here is a female Bobolink I photographed last summer.

BobolinkFemale

Grassland birds may eat insects, seeds, or rodents, all of which are plentiful in a healthy prairie. Prairies provide many different habitats for nesting. Many grassland birds have adapted to nesting on or close to the ground. Some birds prefer certain types of plant structure on the prairie, such as grazed areas with shorter grass; tall, thick vegetation that has not been burned recently or wet areas like sedge meadows. This prairie is at Jennings Environmental Education Center in Slippery rock, PA.

Blooming MeadowJennings Environmental Education Center State Park

This is probably the last time I will talk about Bobolinks this year so I have to share one more. Here is a Bobolink perched high above the thick grassland.

BobolinkMale

Dickcissels are one of the last of the grassland bird species to return in the spring, They are easy to spot and hear, perched high atop tall plants and road signs. Their song is some variation of “dick-cissel-cissel” or “dick-dick-cissel.”

On a recent trip to Benezette, PA to photograph elk calves and bulls in velvet, I spent some time in state game land 311, on a well known portion referred to as "the saddle". The saddle is mostly a reclaimed strip mine covered in prairie grasses. One of the prominent birds you can find up there is the Dickcissel. Below is a male Dickcissel perched nicely on last years' flower head.

DickcisselMale

Savannah Sparrows are one of the most numerous songbirds in North America, and while sometimes overlooked, are likely visitors across the continent. In summer, they don’t hesitate to advertise their location, belting out a loud, insect-like song from farm fields and grasslands.

Many sparrows are similar in their color and markings. One of the telltale marking of the Savannah Sparrow is the yellow spot above the eye.

Savannah Sparrow

Raising young is hard work: a female Savannah Sparrow must gather 10 times her weight in food to feed herself and her young during the 8 days they are in the nest.

Savannah Sparrow

This is a cell phone picture of one of the grassy fields at Volant Strips. I didn't think of shooting video that day but I wish I had so you could hear all the birds singing.

Volant StripsCell Phone Picture

The distinctive song of the Eastern Meadowlark sounds like a four-syllable “Spring of THE year”. I found three or four flying around me in Benezette this spring. Each time they landed they disappeared below the level of the grasses making photography impossible. I was able to catch a few as they flew by.

Eastern Meadowlark

Not every bird occupying the grasslands are small songbirds. Just like Batman and Robin had the Joker, the Lone Ranger and Tonto had Butch Cavendish, and Superman had Lex Luthor, the little birds of the grasslands have the Northern Harrier.

Northern Harriers fly low over the ground when hunting, weaving back and forth over fields and marshes as they watch and listen for small animals. They eat on the ground, and they perch on low posts or trees. Unlike other hawks, they rely heavily on their sense of hearing to capture prey. In the breeding season they eat small mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and birds. I captured this female Northern Harrier circling the grasslands of Volant Strips from 30 feet above the ground.

Northern HarrierFemale

She didn't stay in my area very long. I always wish they would find a perch nearby so I could get a nice portrait but so far it hasn't happened.

Northern HarrierFemale

You never know what else you will find in the grasslands. I saw this White-tailed deer standing in the middle of a field as I was leaving Volant Strips one evening. The sun was barely above the horizon but its glow highlighted her face just enough to capture the beauty of it all.

White-tailed Deer

On a final note, many species of grassland birds have been declining as agriculture has intensified. The loss of native prairie habitat is a major cause of this decline. Let's hope measures are being taken to reverse the decline. What fun would it be to walk through a field of wildflowers and not hear the song of grassland birds?

Thanks for looking,

Dan

An Afternoon at a Bald Eagle Nest

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Thu, 16 Jun 2016 21:21:58 GMT

It's June 16th and I think it is safe to say that most, if not all, of the Bald Eagle eaglets in western Pennsylvania have made their first flight. The photos in this photo blog post were made four weeks ago and the single eaglet in the nest was very close to "branching". In branching, eaglets move from the nest to a branch and flap their wings and jump off the branch. This behavior helps to strengthen flight muscles and acclimate the eaglet to life outside the nest.

Accompanying me to the nest this day was my Canon 1DX MKII camera body, Canon EF 600mm f/4 L IS II USM lens, and Canon EF 1.4 III and Canon EF 2.0 III extenders. I needed the longest reach I got to bring the nest to me. As I reached the small opening providing a view of the nest, I noticed both adults were perched in nearby trees with leaves blocking my view, ruining any chances of good photographs. Acknowledging that I would need to be patient, I sat and watched the juvenile in the nest as it occasionally flapped and stretched its wings. You can see the flight feathers in the wings; they are growing in nicely.

Bald EagleVenango County, PA

The female left her perch first, circled a few times and as she disappeared, the male flew into the nest.

Bald EagleVenango County, PA

It is very interesting watching an active birds nest. It doesn't even need to be an eagle. Other than when they are feeding, what else could they possibly do? Not to ruin the suspense but I'll tell you now that I did not get any shots of the eagles feeding nor did I photograph food being brought to the nest. What I did capture this day is all the other activity that can happen on a daily basis.

I usually see a lot of rearranging going on in the nest. I guess the female will put branches where she wants them and the male will come along later and move them, and vice-versa; an activity very similar to humans.

Bald EagleVenango County, PA

After some time on the nest, dad decided to move off the nest to a nearby perch. A perch most likely used by the juvenile when "branching" occurs.

Bald EagleVenango County, PA

What a beautiful sight this was. The mostly cloudy day provided a nice light evenly illuminating the nest and the far hillside of newly emerging leaves.

Bald EagleVenango County, PA

During or after preening, birds like to shake off. You can see little pieces of down feathers being shaken off the bird.

Bald EagleVenango County, PA

"Look dad, someday I'll have a white feather just like this".

Bald EagleVenango County, PA

When the eaglets are this far along, they don't need to be fed quite as often so it isn't odd for a parent to fly off and not return to the nest for several hours. I love the inquisitive look on the juvenile as dad stretches his wings and tail.

Bald EagleVenango County, PA

The eaglet is trying its hand at redecorating. In all seriousness, it's probably no different than when you leave your dogs alone for hours without toys. They find things to occupy themselves. I guess it's no different with wildlife.

Bald EagleVenango County, PA

There was about five minutes of excitement at the nest that day. A hawk came to explore. It wasn't a red-tailed Hawk for sure. Based on the few glimpses I got through the treetops, I think it was a Broad-winged Hawk. Dad eagle didn't appreciate the hawk coming around his nest. As you can see in the next photo, he was on alert. Also, notice the juvenile. With the threat of danger, it began to make itself less of a target by laying low in the bole of the nest.

Bald EagleVenango County, PA

Dad became very vocal as the hawk ignored any warnings and began inching closer and closer to the nest. Notice the juvenile now. He is almost invisible in the nest.

Bald EagleVenango County, PA

Here is a four and a half minute video compilation of the day. In the first few scenes the adult is watching his mate circle above. Notice the relaxed state of the juvenile. Then there are a couple scenes of the juvenile exploring the nest. And finally, the next couple scenes are of the adult intensely watching a hawk circling the nest tree. You can see by the body language and his vocalizations that he is agitated. During the time the predator is in the area, you will notice how the juvenile nearly disappears into the bole of the nest. It is a fine example of the instincts and survival habits of wildlife.

Please note: during the video, the clicking sound you will occasionally hear is the focusing mechanism in the lens. I think I've said this before but I need to begin to carry my external Rode microphone so internal camera and lens noises aren't recorded as loudly.

Bald Eagle Nest Bald Eagle Nest

After all the excitement is over, the warm sun puts dad to sleep.

Bald EagleVenango County, PA

As a side note, I want to tell a short story that happened to me while sitting in the woods watching this nest. It was very quiet and I have to admit that there are times when I'd even get a little sleepy. I heard some noise like somebody was walking toward me so I slowly looked up from my relaxed state and saw two White-tailed Deer walking up the hill directly toward me. They were panting pretty hard as the hill is very steep. They got to within 10 feet of me before they finally saw me. Actually, I reached for my cell phone to take a picture and that movement got their attention and they ran off.

That finishes my day watching a Bald Eagle's nest. Like I said earlier, this juvenile is now a fledgling. It will still hang around the nest site and mom and dad will still bring it food but I'm guessing another round of survival training already began. I'll leave you with one more photo of dad sitting on a branch, guarding the nest and protecting his family.

Bald EagleVenango County, PA

Thanks for looking,

Dan

Sunset With a Barred Owl Family

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Thu, 09 Jun 2016 01:53:41 GMT

Barred Owls live in large, mature forests made up of both deciduous trees and evergreens, often near water. They nest in tree cavities and, in many cases, will nest in man-made nesting boxes mounted high in the trees. This year, one of the nesting boxes at Jennings Environmental Education Center was active and I got to see the fledglings within days of leaving the box.

I live about 20 miles from Jennings Environmental Education Center, which is in Slippery Rock, PA. On May 16th, I got a text from my friend and excellent wildlife photographer, Jake Dingel. He forwarded me a Facebook article stating the Jennings Barred Owl chicks have fledged. About 6:00 that evening, my wife Elena and I packed up my gear and headed to Jennings. I've seen photos of past years' Barred Owl fledglings and I wanted to get some of my own.

When we arrived, Jake had already spotted one adult and three chicks. This chick was perched 20 to 30 feet up in the tree.

Barred OwlOwlet at Jennings Environmental Education Center, Slippery Rock, PA

In Pennsylvania, a clutch of 2-4 eggs are laid in late March to early April; hatching takes place about 4 weeks later. The young owls fledge 4-5 weeks after hatching.

Barred OwlOwlet at Jennings Environmental Education Center, Slippery Rock, PA

The owls in some of these photos appear to be very close but I assure you it's all the result of a lens with high magnification. All of these photos were shot using a 20.2 MP Canon 1DX MKII camera body, Canon EF 600mm f/4 L IS II USM lens, and sometimes, a Canon EF 1.4 III extender. Using the cropping capabilities of the RAW image can bring the subject even closer. This technology allows the wildlife photographer to bring close up shots to you without disrupting or endangering the wildlife.

Barred OwlOwlet at Jennings Environmental Education Center, Slippery Rock, PA

During mating season and when raising their chicks, you may see Barred Owls hunting during the day but this species still generally hunts near dawn or dusk. The warmth of the setting sun was putting this adult to sleep.

Barred OwlJennings Environmental Education Center, Slippery Rock, PA

The chicks have still not molted their soft down. The young begin to molt at six weeks, and this molt can last 5–6 months.

Barred OwlOwlet at Jennings Environmental Education Center, Slippery Rock, PA

Profile of a backlit, Barred Owl chick.

Barred OwlOwlet at Jennings Environmental Education Center, Slippery Rock, PA

Their hoot, translated to English, sounds like "Who cooks for you, who cooks for you all". When agitated, they make a buzzy, rasping hiss and forcefully clicks its beak together.

Barred OwlJennings Environmental Education Center, Slippery Rock, PA

The legs and feet are covered in feathers up to the talons.

Barred OwlOwlet at Jennings Environmental Education Center, Slippery Rock, PA

Adults nearly have a 50 inch wingspan. Owls with dark eyes, such as the Barred Owl, Northern Spotted Owl, and Barn Owl, tend to hunt at night. However, they are sometimes seen out in daylight, especially on cloudy days.

Barred OwlJennings Environmental Education Center, Slippery Rock, PA

This adult, perched on one foot, just finished a whole body shake to fluff up its feathers.

Barred OwlJennings Environmental Education Center, Slippery Rock, PA

Here is a compilation video of the Barred Owls and their chicks. Barred Owl Barred Owl

Well, I hope you enjoyed seeing the Barred Owl family. It isn't every day that a person gets to witness the whole family together like this. I'm so glad I was able to experience it and share my story and photos with you.

Thanks for looking,

Dan

State Parks: What You May Be Missing

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Fri, 03 Jun 2016 20:42:32 GMT

I would bet that everyone reading this photo blog has visited a state park. Most people live near at least one state park. The closest state park to me, Moraine State Park in Portersville, PA, is only 10 miles away and is the park I visit most often. Many of you reading these words do not live in western Pennsylvania or eastern Ohio where you would have easy access to Moraine State Park. However, the point I want to make in today's photo blog is applicable to anyone, any state park, anywhere.

Moraine State Park is one of my favorite places to photograph wildlife and it is used by people for many more reasons. This isn't going to be a blog about what you can do while at Moraine State Park but more about what many people may miss while at Moraine State Park.

I see hundreds of people enjoying outdoor activities in the park; especially in the spring and summer. The 3,225 acre Lake Arthur is probably the biggest attraction and I think swimming, biking, and fishing are three of the most popular activities. While those people are having the time of their lives, they are missing out on something pretty special. It's the wildlife, feathered or furry, big or small.

Many people have met me somewhere along a trail or simply lugging my camera gear over my shoulder anywhere I might find wildlife. A couple walking their dog recently walked past me and nodded to say hello. What did they miss? I was photographing a Palm Warbler. A tiny little bird that when positioned in the dark center of a shrub, looks just like any other little bird. Look at the beauty that I got to see.

Palm WarblerMale

In early May the Killdeer chicks begin to hatch. These little birds are born with full buffy down feathers and are ready to leave the nest as soon as they dry. In case you missed it, please check out my recent photo blog called, Killdeer: Life Under Wings, for more information about the habits of this shorebird. Some people give me a crazy look when I have my 600mm lens attached to a 1.4x extender pointed to the gravel 40 feet away from me. If it weren't for the piercing call of the mother, nobody would see the three inch high chicks running around like they've been trapped in an egg for the last 22 to 28 days.

KilldeerChick

I see several rabbits and groundhogs everywhere in the park. If you stop the car, most of the groundhogs run on their path into the tall grass. The first time I saw this groundhog in the park, I photographed her and moved along. After a friend told me she had a litter, I went back and watched carefully until I saw the movement of several baby groundhogs congregating around a burrow in the hillside. In case you missed it, you can see more of this groundhog family in a recent photo blog called, Groundhogs: The North American Marmot. I was photographing out of my vehicle window, watching the Groundhog den from about 50 feet away, when people drove by. They looked towards the direction my lens was pointing but, seeing nothing, they continued to drive away.

Groundhog (Woodchuck)

Any one of us who spends time around water has seen a Common Grackle. The iridescent coloring of the male stands out when the sun hits them in the right way. Sometimes, there are so many that we don't pay attention to them. One evening in late March, I drove down to a portion of the lake, near the Sunken Garden Trail, where many people launch kayaks. I drove down to look for Ruddy Duck that seem to like that area of the lake. I found these two male Common Grackles performing for a female. I couldn't get the female in the photo as she was perched several yards away but capturing the antics of these two, in the glow of the setting sun, was very unexpected.

Common GrackleMating ritual display

After pointing to the sky, one would buff up and let out his call that sounded like someone was closing a rusty gate.

Common GrackleMating ritual display

This little Eastern Phoebe was my first phoebe sighting of 2016. I was sitting along the shore of Lake Arthur in Moraine State Park watching for waterfowl and this little phoebe was showing off his insect catching abilities. They are fun to watch as they perch above the water and fly out to snag an insect out of the air before returning to the same perch.

Eastern Phoebe

I found this Barred Owl on the far eastern portion of the lake.

Barred Owl

The Common Yellowthroat is a fairly common bird in our area. They are a striking bird with their bright yellow chest and throat and their Lone Ranger mask. I found this male in the park singing like there's no tomorrow!

Common YellowthroatMale

The Eastern Towhee is a bird of the forest undergrowth. The spring and summer forest is filled with the male's famous call that sounds like drink-your-tea. The word tea is held like a singing note and sometimes their call will begin with more than one drink. Even though you may hear them, you may only catch tiny glimpses of them in the lower tangles of branches. I managed to capture a photo of this male Eastern Towhee and its mate (next photo) on a slow evening walk in the woods of Moraine SP.

Eastern TowheeMale

Here is the female Eastern Towhee, mate of the male above.

Eastern TowheeFemale

Beside the parking lot of the Sunken Garden Trail on the Lake Arthur south shore, stands a large crabapple tree. While it was in blossom, I spent a couple evenings photographing several species of birds looking for insects. One of those birds happened to be our American Robin.

American robin

A male Orchard Oriole scoured the tree too.

Orchard OrioleMale

This male Baltimore Oriole was a lot of fun to watch and photograph. As he hopped from branch to branch, probing under each leaf for insects, he also stopped by many flowers for nectar.

Baltimore OrioleMale

The male Baltimore Oriole wasn't alone as he was joined in the hunt by either a female or a young male. Based on the dark orange color it is probably a male. Females are more yellow in color.

Baltimore OrioleYoung Male or Female

As I watched the crabapple tree, I noticed a little movement in a nearby shrub. I scanned the area with my lens and noticed this little male Yellow Warbler hiding in the thicket. Generally, when we photograph birds, we strive for a clear shot with a clean background. This photo is rather cluttered but it demonstrates the point of this photo blog. Most people would never get to see this little gem that was sitting only a couple feet deep in the shrub.

Yellow WarblerMale

Oh, how I wanted a warbler to perch within these Dogwood blooms. A female Yellow Warbler did jump through but was definitely on an insect gathering mission. She didn't give me a clean photo opportunity.

Dogwood Flowers

Lake Arthur isn't just one big oval lake. It has several fingers coming off of it with many creating shallow coves. In the spring, before the vegetation gets too high, I like to watch those coves for migrating waterfowl. Later, our breeding residents begin to take over. Here is a Canada Goose incubating her eggs on a nest built in the middle of a shallow section of the lake. Usually, the Canada Goose will become very loud if you intrude into their area. She and her mate were very quiet for me but I did feel like I was being watched!

Canada GooseIncubating

While I was driving around some back roads of the park listening for different species of birds, a spring rain shower began and lasted about 10 minutes. Shortly after it stopped, I spotted this Cottontail Rabbit getting a drink while it munched on the wet vegetation.

Cottontail Rabbit

The main road on the south shore of Moraine SP is a loop that begins and ends at the ranger station. Part way through, across from Pleasant Valley Beach, is a hillside with an access road that intersects the loop. That road is a great place to find birds. I always park on the road halfway up the first hill to watch the trees on both sides. Since they are actually rooted about 20 feet below you , it provided a very nice view of birds in the tree tops. That is where I found the male Northern Cardinal searching for insects among the catkins in a Red Oak tree.

Northern CardinalMale

Across the road from the oak are several shrubby plants and briar bushes. It is a very popular place for Yellow Warbler and Yellow-rumped Warbler like the singing male in this next photograph.

Yellow-rumped WarblerMale

The trees on the top of the hill hold the largest number of Baltimore Orioles that I've seen in the park. If you go up there in the evening, the oriole song seems to surround you as the mating pairs sing a duet. Orioles and Scarlet Tanager's both like tall leafy trees and occasionally, I have seen a Scarlet Tanager flitting from treetop to treetop. On this day, a male tanager was chasing insects and came a little lower than normal.

Scarlet TanagerMale

As I said earlier, Yellow Warblers like the shrubby hillside too. That is where I found this little female.

Yellow WarblerFemale

This is a view from the top of the hill where the orioles can be found all summer. These trees are filled with song nightly and the view tops off a great visit.

Moraine State ParkSouth Shore

There are several Osprey nesting posts throughout the park. Some are best visible by boat and some are mounted near a bike trail. I avoid getting too close for a long period of time when they are on a nest because it's obvious, by their actions, the Osprey don't like visitors. Here is a view of one of the more secluded, active nests.

Osprey

Spring is for singing! I didn't see the mate of this male Indigo Bunting but I heard her chirping somewhere nearby. Do you know what an Indigo Bunting's song sounds like? That may be the only way you will ever see one. Since their feathers don't have blue pigment, they look mostly dark in the shadows. Microscopic structures in the feathers that refract and reflect blue light, much like the airborne particles that cause the sky to look blue, is what makes them blue. However, if you know what they sound like, you can stop and watch for them. They are beautiful to see.

Indigo BuntingMale

I was driving along the north shore one morning when I heard the buzzing song of the Blue-winged Warbler. I pulled off the road and was serenaded by this male.

Blue-winged WarblerMale

As I watched the Blue-winged Warbler sing his little heart out, along came a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher and they started a chorus. If it wasn't for the familiar sound of the Blue-winged Warbler that made me stop, I would have never seen either one of these birds.

Blue-gray GnatcatcherMale

A walk through the forest usually brings the soothing, familiar sounds of birds high in the trees or chipmunks scurrying around on the ground. Sometimes, the abrupt chatter of the Red Squirrel nearly makes me jump out of my shoes.

Red Squirrel

For more information, you can check out Moraine State Park on its PA DCNR website and you can also take a look at the first blog I ever wrote, Moraine State Park: Always A Good Day At The Lake.

Every photo I shared with you in this photo blog was made, over several days, in one state park. Hopefully, the next time you visit your local park you will take the time to look for and notice the "less obvious" enjoyments. Nature is pretty cool when you pay attention to it!

I remember a day, earlier this spring, I walked a trail from the lake to my waiting vehicle when a lady and her son drove by me and asked, "Is there a lake around here?". Hmm, maybe she needs to read my blog.

Thanks for looking,

Dan

Songbird Migration - The Beginning

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Mon, 30 May 2016 01:25:54 GMT

It's no secret that I begin to get pretty excited about mid-April because we, in Pennsylvania, begin to see songbirds returning from their winter homes. Some shrubs are beginning to sprout their leaves but the trees still have a few weeks before they block the view of these little birds. That short period of time is when wildlife photographers and birders get into action.

When I think about spring songbird migration, I have to wonder. When does migration begin and when can we expect to see certain birds come our way? Also, does weather affect migration? Migratory species can be thought of in two categories, obligate migrants and facultative migrants.

Most migratory birds are obligate migrants and that especially applies to long distance travelers. The timing of their migration is instinctive. Neotropical migrants instinctively leave their winter home with total disregard of local weather along their route. Poor weather might delay their progress north but an early spring in the south will not speed them up.

Short distance travelers are facultative migrants. They may move earlier or later depending on the weather. This is somewhat true for most of the waterfowl coming through in the spring. So a bird wintering on the shores of New Jersey may not begin the trip to its breeding grounds at a predictable time year after year.

In this photo blog post, I will share photos from the earliest days of this years' migration. Let's begin with the Prairie Warbler. Although this little bird is called a Prairie Warbler, you won't find him on the prairie. Instead, they prefer scrubby fields and forests.

Praire WarblerMale

The Blue-gray Gnatcatcher's grayish coloring and long tail, as well as the way it mixes other birds' songs into its own high pitched songs, have earned it the nickname "Little Mockingbird."

Blue-gray GnatcatcherMale

The Black-and-white Warbler searches for food in a round-about way. Unlike most warblers that flit around looking under leaves and twigs for morsels of goodness, the Black-and-white Warbler circles a tree's trunk and branches while probing the bark and moss for insects.

Black-and-white WarblerMale

An Eastern Meadowlark typically has two mates at a time.

Eastern Meadowlark

The House Wren is a bubbly singer. Listen for its song in summer and you’ll find this species zipping through shrubs and low tree branches, snatching at insects.

House Wren

Rusty Blackbirds winter in the southern United States and even further north in the central US. Their summers are spent in Canada and Alaska breeding. Pennsylvania happens to be a location that they are considered to be a migratory bird. This is my first ever opportunity to photograph a Rusty Blackbird so I'm posting two.

Rusty BlackbirdFemale

The Rusty Blackbird feeds mostly on insects and plants, but it sometimes attacks and eats other birds.

Rusty BlackbirdFemale

It was nearing dark one evening when I heard the song of a male Eastern Towhee. I stuck around and looked for him then I captured his portrait in the dwindling light.

Eastern TowheeMale

The Hermit Thrush has a unique way to "shake-up" insects from under leaf cover. The act, “foot quivering,” is where they shake bits of grass with their feet to get insects.

Hermit Thrush

This isn't the end of my spring migration photos. I am preparing a couple more photo blog posts on the subject that I think you will enjoy.

Thanks for looking,

Dan

Early Spring Wildlife

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Mon, 23 May 2016 00:44:00 GMT

Most of my photo blogs have themes like a destination or a specific species of wildlife. Sometimes, I have a lot of photographs that don't fit into a blog I'm writing at the time, so I save them. I don't want to simply stick the photos into my galleries where they may never be seen so when the time comes, I combine many images together and share them in a blog that shows you a little bit of many subjects.

This is one of those blogs. April and May gave me some great photo opportunities and I wanted to share the memories with everyone who loves wildlife.

While photographing waterfowl in early April I got many chances to photograph Muskrats. Most of the Muskrats I see swimming are nearly underwater so they don't provide a very good subject. This one was swimming pretty quickly keeping it a little higher in the water. I thought this photo was pretty cool because of the way it is plowing the water.

Muskrat

Blue Jays are a pretty common bird but I find them difficult to photograph. They move fast and they seem to be a bit jumpy. So I must click the shutter when I find a cooperative one.

Blue Jay

The Horned Lark is a bird that I have not been able to get a great photo. I still don't have a great photo but this is my best to date. They are best found in the fields in early spring, especially after the farmers spread manure. You can see the tufts of feathers on their head that gives them their name.

Horned LarkMale

I knew if I looked hard enough I would find a female Horned Lark.

Horned LarkFemale

The American Pipit winters in our southern states and Mexico and breeds in arctic and alpine tundra. During migration and winter, they can be found on coastal beaches and marshes, stubble fields, recently plowed fields, mudflats, and river courses. I was happy to find this lifer in farm fields of Mercer County, PA.

American Pipit

The Northern Cardinal, what can I say. They definitely don't blend in well with their surroundings unless they are hanging out in a red flowering shrub. Every morning and evening, when I go outside, I hear the males and female cardinals chirping as they search for insects in the trees.

Northern Cardinal

In early April, we had a warm spell followed by a very cold spell. During that cold spell, I visited Geneva Swamp followed by Pymatuning State Park in western Pennsylvania. While sitting at the swamp, I found this Savannah Sparrow rummaging through the ice for something to eat.

Savannah Sparrow

As I arrived at a place called Miller's Pond in Pymatuning, I found several Wilson's Snipe along the road stabbing their beaks into the snow searching for what else, food. This is a harsh reminder that wildlife cannot go to a grocery store and get whatever they want when they are hungry. The next time you feel like you want to be mean to an animal, think about the struggles they already endure. They don't need you making their life even more difficult.

Wilson's Snipe

Here is a short video of the Wilson's Snipe I made through the window of my vehicle.

I began this photo blog with a photo of a Musrkat scurrying across the surface of the water in a marsh. As the sun climbed higher above the horizon and warmed the landscape, I made this video of a sleepy Muskrat.

Muskrat Dozing In the Sun Muskrat Dozing In the Sun

Although it wasn't making any noise, this Bull Frog was keeping its eyes on me.

American Bullfrog

During a vacation day from work, I drove west to Cuyahoga Valley National Park in Brecksville, Ohio. While standing along the creek watching a Bald Eagle nest on the other side, a couple Northern Flickers appeared in a tree between me and the eagles. I thought it was nice to get two flickers in the same image. By the way, the easiest way to differentiate the male from the female is the male has a black mustache. Therefore, the male is on the left.

Northern FlickerMale & Female

Looks like a little teasing was going on as the male sticks his tongue out at the female. Hey, it is spring!

Northern FlickerMale & Female

Once again, I didn't get an opportunity to photograph a spring gobbler in full display. I guess I'm looking in the wrong places. I did find these guys meandering through a cut corn field.

Wild Turkey

As the migrant songbirds slowly began to come back north, I happened upon a different kind of migrant; a Solitary Sandpiper. After wintering in Central America and most of South America, they migrate through Pennsylvania, on their way to Canada where they spend the summer and breed. I found this one all alone, in a small creek, in Pennsylvania State Game Land 95 - The Glades. What are the chances?

Solitary Sandpiper

You didn't think I could forget the female Northern Cardinal, did you? Although they are not brilliant red like the male, they have a beauty all their own.

Northern CardinalFemale

I don't know about where you live, but in Pennsylvania, the Canada Goose makes a home in almost every lake, pond, or marsh it finds. Here is a pair swimming alone in the Glades.

Canada Goose

One morning, I was driving past a crabapple orchard and saw one of the resident Northern Mockingbirds that I see nearly every time I drive down the road. On this morning, it was so busy hunting for the tiny insects hidden under the leaves, it barely noticed me. I was able to get a few shots in good light.

Northern Mockingbird

Well, that wraps up this photo blog. I hope you enjoyed the photos and check back soon for more stories from the field.

Thanks for looking,

Dan

Groundhogs: The North American Marmot

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Wed, 18 May 2016 23:39:19 GMT

On a recent outing I stopped my vehicle to photograph an adult groundhog. I recorded her while feeding and grooming, all while she sat at the base of a steep bank. Later that day I was talking to a friend who told me he also saw the groundhog and its babies. I told him there weren't any babies out while I was there; I didn't even know there was a burrow.

Groundhog (Woodchuck)

Speaking of burrows, a burrow can be anywhere from 8 to 66 feet long, with multiple exits and a number of chambers. There can be several levels to their burrows. They have a burrow for hibernating, and then they have another section of the burrow where they can come out more easily. Their burrows even have separate rooms for defecation. Yes, they have their own bathrooms.

Groundhogs are known as “true hibernators,” going into a dormant state from late fall until late winter or early spring. During that time, their body temperature and heart rate fall dramatically. They wake up while it’s still cold outside. It turns out they have a very good reason to drag themselves out of bed. There’s evidence that male groundhogs wake up early to get a head start on reproduction.

Apparently, as early as February, the males come out and start to prepare for the mating season, which involves making house-calls to female burrows.

I went back early the next morning and watched the burrow until they finally came out. Mom came out first, followed by six or seven little ones. The next photo is mom as she sat near the burrow while two of her young climbed on top of her.

Groundhog (Woodchuck)

Groundhogs, found all over North America, are actually a type of rodent known as a marmot. Marmots are closely related to squirrels. Therefore, groundhogs are basically giant ground squirrels.

Groundhog (Woodchuck)

There is plenty of lush vegetation to eat in the spring.

Groundhog (Woodchuck)

Groundhogs have many names, including whistle-pig for their tendency to emit short, high-pitched whistles. They’re also known as land beavers, but their most famous nickname is woodchuck. Surprisingly, the name woodchuck doesn’t have anything to do with wood. It’s thought to be a corruption of the Native American words wejack, woodshaw, or woodchoock.

Groundhog (Woodchuck)

By midsummer, these "teenage" groundhogs will start to move out from their natal den, and dig their own "starter" burrows.

Groundhog (Woodchuck)

Well, I hope you enjoyed the photos of the groundhog family as well as the few little groundhog tidbits.

Thanks for looking,

Dan

Killdeer: Life Under Wings

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Thu, 12 May 2016 18:07:09 GMT

The Killdeer is a shorebird and a member of the Plover family. However, you don't need to go to the shore, or even water for that matter, to find a Killdeer. Many times you can find these lively birds in gravel parking lots. They have a habit of running very fast and stopping abruptly as if they are looking to see if they scared up any insects to eat. Once you hear the high pitched "kill-deer" call of a Killdeer, you will always recognize one, even if you don't see it. Eighteenth-century naturalists noticed how noisy Killdeer are and gave them names such as the Chattering Plover and the Noisy Plover.

Killdeer

Killdeer, like all wildlife, will go to incredible lengths to protect their young.

When a potential threat is moving toward their nesting site, their relentless protective instinct kicks in. The adult Killdeer will drop to the ground and fake a broken wing making them look vulnerable. The fake injury act is intended to distract the predator and offer themselves up as easy prey, to protect their young. The killdeer will continue this charade until the perceived threat is far enough from the nest or the chicks.

Baby killdeer always come out running. They hatch with their eyes open, and as soon as their downy feathers dry, they start scurrying about, following their parents and searching the ground for something to eat.

KilldeerChick

Killdeer chicks tuck themselves under their mother's wings for warmth and to keep dry. When the temperatures are low, the tiny chicks will stop running around looking for food and tuck themselves under her wings. In the next photo, you can see the tail feathers of one chick sticking out from under the adult's left wing.

KilldeerAdult and chick

Like other birds, the feet are very large when hatched. They eventually grow into them.

KilldeerChick

I photographed this Killdeer family over a couple days. The first day I was there in the late morning when the sun was shining and the temperatures were warm. The chicks spent the entire time running around the gravel parking lots at Moraine State Park. Later that evening, I returned because the forecast called for rain showers and I knew the chicks would be seeking mother's protective wings. KilldeerAdult and chick

This video has several scenes of the chicks under mom's wings for cover. Part of the video is the mother protecting her young from the rain. You will hear the wind increasing as the rain begins to fall fairly hard. Sometimes the chicks will wander off. Listen to mom's call which appears to be a "return to me" call. The video ends on a chilly evening and the chicks getting warmth from mom's body. Click on the video icon to begin the video. Since it is over 4 minutes long, please be patient because it may take a few seconds to load before it begins to play. Killdeer Killdeer

I'll leave you with this little chick stretching its wings. Those tiny wings will grow quickly to nearly a 19 inch wingspan.

KilldeerChick

Thanks for looking,

Dan

Clever as a Fox

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Mon, 09 May 2016 01:14:38 GMT

In the short five years that I have been seriously doing wildlife photography, I have not had the opportunity to photograph a den of foxes. Last August, in a conversation with friends of ours from previous employment, they mentioned they had a fox den on their property. Of course, August is too late to photograph the fox but they said they would call me in 2016 if the fox comes back.

Despite a new pipeline that went in behind their property, the foxes did come back. After seeing them for the first time this year, our friends called me and I was able to spend some time photographing the family.

This den had four fox babies, known as kits. During my visits, I got to see dad a few times but never saw mom. She was seen by our friends but not while I was there. Here is one of the kits giving me a nice portrait.

Red FoxKit

Every time I visited to photograph the foxes, it was overcast and/or raining. I wasn't lucky enough to see the sun and the fox family at the same time.

Red FoxKit

In winter, foxes meet to mate. The female, or vixen, typically gives birth to a litter of 4 to 10 pups with 6 being the average. At birth, red foxes are actually brown or gray but get their red coat by the end of the first month. Both parents care for their young through the summer before they are able to strike out on their own in the fall.

They are playful pups. Here, two of the four are rolling around in last years' leaf pile.

Red FoxKits

Even the little ones need a rest period.

Red FoxKits

This next photo is the dad. I have been told that the vixen usually has a ratty coat because the kits are tugging at her all the time. Plus, when mom is present, at least one of the kits will try to nurse. This fox's coat looks pretty nice and no kit tried to nurse, so I'm assuming this is the dad.

Red FoxDad

The fox is a very shy animal. If they feel they are in danger or have been "discovered", the parents will move the family to a new den. Because the kits were so big on this first night they were seen, it leads me to believe they were actually born in another den and danger caused a move to this former den.

Notice the thick tail on these kits. The fox uses its thick tail to aid in its balance, but it has other uses as well. They also use their tail, or brush, as a warm cover in cold weather and as a signal flag to communicate with other foxes.

Red FoxKits

These little fox kits are so adorable. They look like a toy.

Red FoxKit

Here is another photo of dad watching over the playful pups.

Red FoxDad

Red foxes are solitary hunters who feed on rodents, rabbits, birds, and other small game - but their diet can be as flexible. In the photo below, dad has a rodent, covered by a large oak leaf (except for the tail), for his family of four.

Red FoxDad

Typical, playful pup. If a stick is available, they love to carry it around during play.

Red FoxKit

Dad spotted me this time. However, he didn't seem to mind as he proceeded to lay down and faced the opposite way.

Red FoxDad

Eventually, one of the kits joined him on top of the den and tried to cuddle.

Red FoxKit and Dad

On another night, and the last time I visited, dad came in with food. I was surprised to see a two course meal in his mouth. Nature is beautiful yet can also be cruel. Everything in the wild is part of a food chain. Unfortunately for this young rabbit and vole, it was their time.

Red FoxDad

The day after the previous photo was made, the workers on the pipeline came back to excavate and seed the area they destroyed last year. After that disturbance, the foxes were not seen for a week. I feared they relocated but they are back. When I get more photos, I will be sure to share.

Thanks for looking,

Dan

2016 Spring Waterfowl Migration Comes to a Close

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Fri, 06 May 2016 02:13:00 GMT

The Spring waterfowl migration seemed to go so fast. I still have some photos I didn't share so I collected them together to make up this photo blog.

I love hanging around a marsh on a crisp March or April morning watching for various species of waterfowl to come within photography distance. Here is a pair of American Black Ducks. One way to distinguish the male from the female is the male's bill is bright yellow while the female's is an olive green color.

American Black DuckFemale and Male

This female American Black Duck came in very close.

American Black DuckFemale

It was just a few years ago when I saw my first American Wigeon. I got a few nice portraits last year but this year I didn't find any close enough. They were close enough to get a few nice photos. The distinguishing marking of a male is the white forehead and the green swipe extending back from his eyes.

American WigeonMale

Here a male and female American Wigeon forage through the pond weeds.

American WigeonMale and Female

Even though she lacks the green and white head pattern of the male, she is still a beautiful duck.

American WigeonFemale

A buddy of mine, Jake Dingel, and I went out early one morning, toting our gear and blinds, heading for a flooded marsh to wait for waterfowl. We saw several Wood Ducks that morning but we also saw a few Blue-winged Teal. I didn't get an opportunity that morning to capture one with his wings stretched, displaying the coloration that gives them their name. This guy swam by in some beautiful light. Note: I'm not posting any of the Wood Duck photos right now because I am preparing a special photo blog on the Wood Duck for late summer. I don't yet have all the photographs I see in my minds eye.

Blue-winged TealMale

Although there were other ducks around, I love the "calming" look of this photograph.

Blue-winged TealMale

It was nearing noon one sunny day when I was heading home from the Pymatuning area when I saw a lot of ducks on the water near the docks of Conneaut Lake. The light was very harsh yielding a lot of silhouettes. In the short time I was there, I was lucky to capture the iridescent colors of the Bufflehead's head.

Bufflehead

I don't know why so many beautiful birds have to be labeled as "common". But they are! This one is a Common Merganser. Occasionally, I'll find a Common Merganser pair all alone but usually they congregate in large flocks on the water.

Common MerganserMale

They are a very suspicious bird too. Unless they swim up on me while I'm in a blind or otherwise well hidden, I usually see them fly away. I love how they fly so close to the surface of the water.

Common MerganserMale

The Green-winged Teal is another duck with outstanding colors and markings that has avoided my lens. These photos were made from a great distance but within cropping range so I wanted to share. Here are two males in the front and one female behind the male on the left.

Green-winged TealMale and female

Here are a pair of Mallards. These dabbling ducks were busy feeding the entire morning but they finally settled down and gave me a portrait.

Mallard DuckMale and female

Here is a Wood Duck pair who just exited from the water. The Wood Duck will spend a lot of time out of the water and actually nest in cavities in trees, sometimes far from water. Enough of that, you will find out more about Wood Ducks in the late summer photo blog I mentioned earlier.

Wood DucksDrake & Hen

The Latin genus name for “grebe” means “feet at the buttocks”. It is a perfect descriptor for the Pied-billed Grebe, whose feet are located near their rear ends. This body type, a common feature of many diving birds, helps grebes propel themselves through water.

Pied-billed Grebe

Once again, we use the word "common" but the Common Loon is anything but common. Certain lighting reveals a deep green color in their heads. It was mostly cloudy the day I made these loon photographs but I tried to align myself in order for the light to pull some of the green out of the green-black feathers.

Common Loon

Loons are diving birds too and spend most of their time on the water. The term "loon" is thought to be derived from the Scandinavian word lom, which means "clumsy person", in reference to their clumsiness on land.

Common Loon

It is fun to watch a loon dive and predict where it will surface. Unfortunately for me, every time one came close to me, it would dive and resurface 100 yards away. That doesn't help to make a good photograph.

Common Loon

I hope you enjoyed my waterfowl migration wrap-up photo blog. I'll be posting again soon to share other spring wildlife before I begin to write about the spring songbird migration. In nature, there is always something to photograph.

Thanks for looking,

Dan

Big Birds Through My Lens

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Sun, 24 Apr 2016 12:56:34 GMT

We’re coming up on the end of April and the migration of songbirds is on my mind. Within a couple weeks, I’ll be spending a lot of time along thickets and forest edges watching for the colorful songsters. In the meantime, I have several photos I made within the last month that I need to share. In this photo blog, I’m going to focus on the opposite of tiny songbirds and share photos and information about some of our big birds.

They are big, but sometimes you don't see them. That's one of the aspects of wildlife photography that I love. I get to share wildlife with people who don't get to see for themselves. Let’s begin with the Osprey that we welcomed back into our state this month. It didn’t take long before they began building and mending nests and some are already incubating. In most cases, I find it difficult to get very close to an Osprey as they seem to be apprehensive. I found this one on a very windy, overcast day and although I was only about 40 yards away, it didn’t seem to mind.

Osprey

I watched it so long that I was actually hoping it would fly soon. Finally, I got my wish.

Osprey

I seldom see an Osprey’s seven feet of open wings so close-up and detailed. What an awesome sight.

Osprey

The Osprey, otherwise known as fish eagle, sea hawk, river hawk, and fish hawk, is a fish eating bird of prey that is often seen soaring above our lakes.

Osprey

One evening, as the sun was nearly set, I found this lone Sandhill Crane in a field. Sandhill Crane are about 47 inches in length and have an approximate 78 inch wingspan.

Sandhill Crane

Slightly smaller than the Sandhill Crane is the Great Blue Heron. I found this Great Blue Heron perched on a log above a creek.

Great Blue Heron

As you've seen in my past photo blogs, the Bald Eagle is a big bird. I found this one perched, giving its foot a rest, in mid-afternoon.

Bald Eagle

Looking majestic in that beam of sunlight.

Bald Eagle

Eagles do not have sweat glands. To cool themselves, they open their mouths and pant. They also will hold their wings out from the body to let the cool breeze get closer to their hot 107 degree Fahrenheit body. In the next photo, you can see all four eagles panting to remain cool.

Bald Eagle

The popularity of web cams mounted above birds nests have brought us all "into the nest" of nesting birds such as the Bald Eagle. There was a photo from the Pennsylvania Game Commission during the winter of 14-15 that became popular around the United States. It showed a female Bald Eagle, near Hanover, PA, incubating eggs during a March snowstorm. While the male stood next to the female, on the nest, all you could see of the female was her head rising above several inches of snow that blanketed the nest. It showed the dedication, and caring nature, wildlife have when raising their young. The photo below demonstrates a similar situation although not as severe.

I made this photo this month on a day that temperatures reached 80 degrees. As I mentioned above, eagles will spread their wings slightly to cool themselves but as I watched this nest for several hours, it became evident that she was spreading her wings for another reason. The majority of the time, mom stood above the three eaglets with her wings positioned away from her body to shade the little ones. Occasionally, one or two would come out from under the "umbrella" but only for short periods. The instinct to protect their eaglets from the elements is simply amazing.

Bald Eagle

Once in a while a Red-tailed Hawk will sit still long enough for a photo. Somewhat smaller than an eagle, the Red-tailed Hawk is 17.7–22 inches long and has a wingspan of 44.9–52.4 inches.

Red-tailed Hawk

I have been fortunate this winter and spring to have some Short-eared Owls in the area. Occasionally, they will come out of their roost before sunset. I only saw that once this year and posted that photo in a March 14th blog titled "Late Winter Wildlife Encounters". The next four photos of Short-eared owls were made after the sun slipped below the horizon so very high camera iso settings and slow shutter speeds were necessary.

Short-eared Owl

With a length of 13.4–16.9 inches and a wingspan of 33.5–40.6 inches, the Short-eared Owl hunts by flying, in circles, very close to the ground.

Short-eared Owl

In photography, panning is a technique to photograph a moving subject by moving your lens in the same direction and pace while keeping the subject in the same position of the frame for the duration of the exposure.

I have to admit I did pretty good on this one. I panned this owl flying right to left and got a couple good shots from the bunch.

Short-eared Owl

This Short-eared Owl was flying circles over the field directly in front of me. I was so excited that I didn't even notice my shutter speed dropped to 1/15 of a second. That is hardly adequate for a fast moving subject. Upon reviewing my photos I nearly deleted the complete series without even looking at them. They were all a blur; except the one below. My only explanation is the owl must have hovered, in one spot, for a second or two for the camera to catch the face in focus. I love the feeling of motion in the photograph.

Short-eared Owl

I was driving home one morning after sitting in a blind for three hours photographing waterfowl when I saw this Ring-necked Pheasant cock. The pheasant is a large game bird in Pennsylvania and the tail is usually how it's measured. Some measure by length, which can be over 24 inches, and some measure by the number of bars. Personally, I only hunt with a camera so I don't care how its measured. Just look at the colors on this beauty.

Ring-necked Pheasant

He had a hen just inside the thicket. After a few minutes of me watching him and him watching me, he reared up, left out a series of crowing calls, and a hen took off and flew into the valley. He then walked into the thicket.

If you would like to learn more about the Ring-necked Pheasant, check out my photo blog from December 27, 2015 titled "Ring-necked Pheasant - The Chinese Pheasant".

Ring-necked Pheasant

The following video is a compilation of short videos showcasing the Osprey, Eastern Screech Owl, Barred Owl, and Great Horned Owl owlets. I realize many people reading my blogs are not birding experts so I want to make the point that the sound you will hear in the background when the screech owl was recorded, are frogs, not a sound made by the owl.

Osprey and Owls Osprey and Owls

I'm deviating a little from the theme of this photo blog. The Eastern Screech Owl is not a very large bird at only 6 to 9 inched tall. However, they make up for it with their 19 to 24 inch wingspan. These extremely camouflaged bird hides out in nooks and tree cavities through the day making them difficult to find. Most of the screech owls I've found were sleeping so I've become used to the fact that I may never see their eyes. Eastern Screech Owl

Lo and behold, it opened its eyes. I'm happy I was paying attention because the eyes were closed again within a minute.

Eastern Screech Owl

The Barred Owl is an attractive owl with soulful brown eyes and brown-and-white-striped plumage. Even though they are 16.9 to 19.7 inches in length with a wingspan of 39 to 43.3 inches, it can pass completely unnoticed as it flies noiselessly through the dense canopy or snoozes on a tree limb.

Barred Owl

The Barred Owl doesn't have the typical "Hoot-hoot" that we associate with owls. If translated to the English language, the Barred Owl sounds like “Who cooks for you? Who cooks for you?-all"

Barred Owl

Over the years, many people come up to me and show me their own photographs whether they are on a camera card, a tablet, or their phone. The Barred Owl is a common subject of these photos. Although you can pass right by one without seeing it, they are also an owl you can see during the day.

Barred Owl

One day, these Great Horned Owl owlets will grow into an 18 to 25 inch body and a 3 to 5 foot wingspan. At this point in their lives, these superbly camouflaged owls will remain in their nest for a few more weeks.

Great Horned OwlOwlets

There was an adult Great Horned Owl perched high in a nearby hemlock tree. While it remained deep in the branches, and very well hidden from my camera, the kiddos kept a watchful eye.

Did you know the eyes of an owl are fixed in place? To look around they must move their entire head. Their head and neck can be swiveled 180 degrees side-to-side and 90 degrees up and down.

Great Horned OwlOwlets

I hope you enjoyed this exhibit of some of the bigger birds I've photographed this spring. Check back soon for my next photo blog as I go a little smaller and share some waterfowl and shorebird photos.

Thanks for looking,

Dan

Northern Pintail: Greyhound of the Air

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Tue, 29 Mar 2016 22:01:57 GMT

Each February, I begin to look forward to the upcoming waterfowl migration and the photography opportunities it presents. Some years I'm able to photograph certain species and other years I am not. This year I was very happy to be able to spend a couple days photographing one of my favorite migrating ducks, the Northern Pintail. I have several photographs to share from those days and hopefully, the additional information is interesting and informative for you.

Below is a Northern Pintail pair with the male being on the left.

Northern PintailDrake & Hen

Northern Pintail Range Map

Northern Pintails are one of the first ducks to migrate south in the fall and north in the spring. As March approaches, I begin to watch for pintails, as a signal, that the migration season has began.

As you can see on the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's range map, Pennsylvania falls in the yellow area signifying an area of migration.

Most of the pintail population migrates through California. Pintails wintering in central North America migrate in the Central Flyway via Texas and western Louisiana.

The majority of pintails using the Mississippi Flyway winter in Louisiana, with smaller numbers wintering in Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi and Alabama.

My first opportunity to photograph the Northern Pintail came in February on a very cold and snowy day. There weren't very many at the marsh that day and the lighting was poor but I was able to photograph some behavioral patterns of the pintail males, or drakes. In my observation, the drakes challenge each other to show dominance or to impress a nearby female, or hen. They swim up to each other, chests pumped out and pressed against each other.

Northern PintailDrake

Just like a boxer in a boxing ring, the birds wait of the right moment to take their shot. It seems to me that biting each others' bills is their way of doing battle.

Northern PintailDrake

Northern Pintails are long, slender ducks with long, narrow wings, earning them the nickname "Greyhound of the Air." Pintails are named for their elongated central tail feathers, which make up a quarter of the drake's body length. You can see the length of the drakes tail in the photo below.

Northern PintailDrake & Hen

Pintails forage in shallow water by up-ending with tail up and head down, or by submerging head and neck while swimming, finding seeds and nutlets of aquatic plants in underwater mud. They also forage on land.

Northern PintailDrake & Hen

Below is a short video I made that shows the dabbling pintails in action. Click on the video icon in the center of the photo to play the video.

Northern Pintails - Dabbling Ducks Northern Pintails - Dabbling Ducks

The male Northern Pintail (left) has a chocolate-brown head with a white stripe on each side of the neck extending up from the white breast and belly. The back is blackish-gray and the rump has a white patch on each side. Two of the long central tail feathers are black while the others are gray outlined by white. The average length of the male is 25 inches and the average weight is 2.26 lbs.

The female Northern Pintail (right) has a dark-brown upper body with a buff or gray head and lower body. The average length of the female is 21.4 inches and the average weight is 1.91 lbs.

Northern PintailDrake & Hen

The Northern Pintail's breeding pattern is situated around the north pole. In North America, they breed from Alaska, the central Canadian Arctic and western Greenland south to the western and central United States. They nest in open areas near wetlands located in prairie and tundra habitats.

The Northern Pintail is one of the earliest nesting ducks in North America, beginning shortly after ice-out in those northern areas. Females typically nest on the ground in sparse vegetation, usually far from water, and lay an average of 8 eggs.

I had to share the following image of the female doing a little grooming on the male.

Northern PintailDrake & Hen

The male has a mellow whistled "kwee" or "kwee-hee" and the females vocalization is a hoarse, muffled "quack."

Northern PintailDrake & Hen

These ducks are fast, making it difficult to get take-off and landing photos. By the time you see it happening, it is usually too late to make the perfect photo. I was photographing this male/female pair when they were photo-bombed by this incoming drake.

Northern PintailDrake & Hen

I really like the next photo of a drake pintail navigating a landing. In flight, an iridescent greenish-black colored patch, on the inner, posterior of the wing, is displayed. Those patches are their speculum feathers.

Northern PintailDrake

On this sunny day, I was lucky to see another pair of drakes sparring.

Northern PintailDrake

After a few minutes of "beak wrestling", one broke away and was chased by the other.

Northern PintailDrake

Once considered one of the most abundant ducks in North America, the pintails have suffered a large decline since the 1950s. The objective of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan is to maintain a breeding population of 5.5 million birds. In 2009, the breeding population was at 3.2 million. It is believed the pintail population has suffered most due to drought and loss of grassland habitat in the Prairie Pothole Region.

The map and descriptive text below is directly from the Ducks Unlimited website.

“The Prairie Pothole Region is the core of what was once the largest expanse of grassland in the world, the Great Plains of North America. Its name comes from a geological phenomenon that left its mark beginning 10,000 years ago. When the glaciers from the last ice age receded, they left behind millions of shallow depressions that are now wetlands, known as prairie potholes. The potholes are rich in plant and aquatic life, and support globally significant populations of breeding waterfowl. Agricultural development caused considerable wetland drainage in the area. The Great Plains and Prairie Pothole Region are No. 1 on the 25 most important and threatened waterfowl habitats on the continent.”

I certainly hope habitat improves for them and the decline is slowed or better yet, reversed. It is a beautiful sight to see the distinctive shape of the slim, long-necked Northern Pintail against the sky. The male is identified by his eye-catching markings and long tail, but even the female can be recognized by her graceful, long-necked shape.

Here are three males and one female beginning to descend into the swamp to my left.

Northern PintailDrake & Hen

Northern Pintail hen in flight.

Northern PintailHen

Shortly after liftoff, the water droplets are still falling from the drake's feet and tail feathers.

Northern PintailDrake

I was set up far enough from the ducks so that I didn't cause them any worries. The nice part about being able to do that is it enables the photographer to capture what we refer to as "behavioral" photographs. Behavioral photographs are images of the animal engaged in every day, normal activities. That is usually my goal.

Northern PintailDrake

A perfect example of a behavioral photograph is this image of a drake pintail preening. If I was encroaching into his space, he would be alert and would not be occupied in the relaxing activity of preening. Chances are, he would have fled long ago.

Northern PintailDrake

Here is another preening photograph where you can clearly see the hues in his speculum feathers.

Northern PintailDrake

Beautiful "Greyhound of the Air" flapping excess water off his body. You can really see the elongated neck and wings in this photo.

Northern PintailDrake

It's now the end of March and you may still find some Northern Pintail ducks in western Pennsylvania, however, most have moved northward toward their breeding ground. While we can see them again this fall on their way back south, we'll have to wait another 10 or 11 months to see them in their full breeding plumage.

Thanks for looking,

Dan

The Solitary Wilson's Snipe

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Mon, 21 Mar 2016 23:55:22 GMT

Early March brings on the migration of waterfowl into western Pennsylvania. Just like the songbirds, different species of waterfowl and shorebirds arrive, or pass through, at different times. On this day, I was interested in Northern Pintail (photo blog coming soon), American Wigeon, and Northern Shoveler.

My wife, Elena, and I woke up at 5 a.m. one Saturday morning to make a 1.25 hour drive to an area of northwestern Pennsylvania known for its large bodies of water and marshes. It was a chilly 37 degrees when we left the house and the stars were shining brightly in the western sky as a warm glow drowned them out in the east. Weather reports warned of freezing fog north of Interstate 80 which is exactly where we were going. When we arrived at the marsh we were blanketed in a thick fog. As the sun got higher in the sky, the fog began to burn off. I always kick myself for not taking a suitable landscape lens with me but I always seem to leave them at home. As it began to lift, I pulled out my cell phone and made the photo below. Foggy Morning

Even though we were in search of certain waterfowl, there is always a chance to see something unusual or unexpected. Today, I got to photograph my first Wilson's Snipe.

In Pennsylvania, the Wilson's Snipe can be found in the southeast during the winter. Its Pennsylvania breeding ground is mostly in the north and northwest. Otherwise, if you are fortunate enough to see one, it is most likely in migration.

It was a little after 9:00 when the fog finally lifted and the sun warmed the marsh. While viewing the waterfowl swimming about 50 yards out, we noticed this Wilson's Snipe sitting fairly close to the road, ready to take a nap.

Wilson's Snipe

Wilson’s Snipe live in muddy pond edges, damp fields, and other wet, open habitats. Typically these contain thick, low vegetation into which these well-camouflaged birds can disappear.

I may have been far enough north today to be in their breeding ground but I'm not sure. There were four more of these shorebirds in the area but they were in the marsh on the other side of the road so I concentrated on the one postured in good lighting. With its nap interrupted, we sat for a while and watched it preen.

Wilson's Snipe

The Wilson's Snipe will allow an intruder to get fairly close before it flushes. Once in the air, it will perform a series of aerial "zigzag" acrobatics to confuse predators. Hunters who are skilled enough to successfully shoot one in flight became known as "snipers", a term later adopted by the military.

Because it didn't feel threatened by us, it continued to go about its business preening, stretching, getting a drink of water, and eventually stepping off the log in search of food.

Wilson's Snipe

Since we had some time with this snipe, I shot a little video. While you're watching the video, notice the peculiar bobbing of its entire body as it moves around. Click on the icon in the center of the picture to begin the video and set the player to HD if it doesn't do it automatically.

Wilson's Snipe Wilson's Snipe

Usually shy and secretive, Wilson's Snipes perch prominently when displaying in breeding season.

Wilson's Snipe

The Wilson’s Snipe has an extra-large pectoral (breast) muscle that make up nearly a quarter of the bird’s weight; the highest percent of all shorebirds. Thanks to those massive flight muscles, they can reach flight speeds estimated at 60 miles an hour.

Wilson's Snipe

Formerly known as Common Snipe, its current common name commemorates the American ornithologist Alexander Wilson.

Wilson's Snipe

While getting a drink, our snipe came up with some dying vegetation.

Wilson's Snipe

The Wilson's Snipe forages mostly by probing in soft mud like a slow motion sewing machine. Their bill tip is sensitive and flexible, allowing the snipe to detect and capture prey underground. They also capture some food in shallow water or from the surface. Speaking of their flexible bill, it's very interesting that they can open either end of their bill while keeping the other end closed.

Their diet consists mainly of insects but with diversity. Rather than listing their foods of choice, I decided to list a quote from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology website. "Wilson’s Snipes feed mainly on insect larvae, including flies such as crane, horse and deer flies as well as beetles, dragonflies, crickets, grasshoppers, ants, mayflies, butterflies, caddis flies and moths. Other invertebrate prey include snails, crustaceans, and worms. They occasionally eat small vertebrates including lizards, frogs, fish, and nestling birds. Plant materials make only a minor contribution to their diets."

Wilson's Snipe

When not in breeding mode, this well-camouflaged bird enters its shy mode and spends most of its time in the tall grasses.

Wilson's Snipe

There are a lot of fascinating facts about the Wilson's Snipe that I didn't mention in this photo blog. If you would like to read more, check out Wilson's Snipe page at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology website.

Thanks for looking,

Dan

Late Winter Wildlife Encounters

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Mon, 14 Mar 2016 23:54:59 GMT

Winter is coming to an end and western Pennsylvania is beginning to see some migrating waterfowl coming back. Sparrows and cardinals are singing in the early morning darkness and the "conk-la-ree!" song of the Red-winged Blackbird is filling the air in swamps and marshes everywhere.

In this photo blog, I am going to share some great wildlife with you. I will be sharing some beautiful memories I made in February and the first half of March. I really hope you enjoy as I try to bring these memories to life for you. One of the first true signs of spring is when the male Red-winged Blackbirds come back to mark their breeding territory. The females generally follow shortly after.

Male Red-winged Blackbirds often sing from a high perch while fanning their tail feathers and dropping their wings slightly to show off their scarlet-and-yellow shoulder patches.

Red-winged BlackbirdMale singing in a ray of sunshine through the dense fog.

To see a Pileated Woodpecker is a real treat. Early one February morning, Elena and I were heading on a another adventure somewhere, when we spotted this female Pileated Woodpecker feeding on some of last years' crabapples. Pileated WoodpeckerFemale

Pretty profile of our female Pileated Woodpecker. Do you see the black mustache running off the back of her beak? If this was a male that mustache would be red.

Pileated WoodpeckerFemale

I recently made a trip to a nearby park where two Red-headed Woodpeckers have been staying. The one in the next photo was being very vocal and mobile but wouldn't come down out of the high treetops. This was the best I could get on that day.

Red-headed Woodpecker

In 1890, about 100 European Starlings were released in New York's Central Park as part of a local Shakesphere Society's plan to introduce all the birds in his writings, into North America. They quickly established themselves and spread across the continent putting native, nesting cavity birds like the Tree Swallow, Eastern Bluebird, and Red-headed Woodpeckers, at risk. The species has spread to over 200 million and it is believed they all came from the original 100 released in 1890.

European Starling

It is nearing time for the Wild Turkey mating season. Some people have already seen and photographed some males puffing themselves up into feathery balls but I haven't witnessed it yet.

Wild TurkeyMale

Spring and fall are great times to see swans swimming around our lakes. We had a few days with temperatures well below freezing causing many of our lakes to freeze over once again. I photographed this Mute Swan walking along the ice to a small patch of open water.

Mute Swan

My experience has shown me that it is a lot easier to photograph a hawk that unknowingly approaches an area I'm already quietly sitting, maybe waiting for another form of wildlife. On the other hand, if I drive up on a hawk and stop the vehicle, it usually flies away. The Cooper's Hawk in the next photo was one of the few that I spotted while driving slowly down a country road. It was far enough off the road that it didn't mind waiting a moment to allow a photograph to be made. I love its bright eyes.

Cooper's Hawk

I hope you're not tired of seeing Bald Eagle images because I have a few more to share. It was a great winter because we had plenty of eagles that migrated our way and the mild winter allowed them to stay. In case you missed my last blog, "The Return Of The Bald Eagle", in which I talked about the migrating Bald Eagles in western Pennsylvania, you can view it by clicking here.

If you are a reader of my photo blogs, you will know there is not much I haven't said about the Bald Eagle. They have been a popular topic this winter and I've included them in several blogs over the last few years. The next several eagle photos were made in February and March during this unusual migration season.

Bald Eagle

Adult Bald Eagle watching a creek on a snowy day.

Bald Eagle

There were several eagles in the area and occasionally, they vocalize with each other.

Bald Eagle

Juvenile eagle watching over its shoulder.

Bald Eagle

I like the effect the gentle falling snow has on these photographs.

Bald Eagle

I called this photograph "A Regal Flyby".

Bald Eagle

Sometimes, all you need is an unobstructed view of the head to make a nice portrait.

Bald Eagle

This juvenile eagle saw something it might like.

Bald EagleJuvenile

Along Route 285, on the way to Pymatuning State Park, beavers have flooded a valley killing several trees. Every time I drive past this swamp, I have to look to the treetops for Bald Eagles. If Elena is with me I always slow down and say, "Check out those trees for eagles". Sometimes, I get lucky and see one or two. I found one on this bright, sunny, morning.

Bald Eagle

Another one of my favorite things to do during the winter months is visit large fields of farmland or reclaimed strip mines. The landscape provides grassland, hunting grounds for the Northern Harrier and Short-eared Owls. I don't have any harrier photos worth sharing this time but the next photo is a portrait of a Short-eared Owl. The Short-eared Owls will be leaving us very soon for their breeding ground, the very northern United States, Alaska, and all of Canada.

Short-eared OwlVolant Strips, Lawrence County

Instinctively, the Sandhill Crane will leave the fields at sunset to fly to wherever they are going to roost for the night. So if you see a flock of Sandhill Crane and it's nearing sunset, stick around to view a noisy takeoff. It is truly one of natures gifts.

Sandhill CraneThe setting sun signals the Sandhill Crane to roost for the evening.

I really hope you enjoyed seeing some of the wildlife that I saw over the last six weeks.

On a side note, I had too many Bald Eagle photos to use in one photo blog so if you would like to see more, please click here to look at the Birds of Prey gallery on this website.

Until next time,

Dan

The Return of the Bald Eagle

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Tue, 16 Feb 2016 23:56:02 GMT

Bald Eagle Most of my life I wondered what it would be like to see a Bald Eagle in the wild, flying free. When I was a kid, I'd see them in the zoo or some enclosure because they had an injury that prevented them from surviving on their own. I knew they were our national symbol, they were on the endangered species list and, for all I knew, I'd have to go to Alaska to see a free one.

Now, in 2016, the Bald Eagle can be seen around many of the major lakes in the country. Web cameras allow you to follow the life of an eaglet beginning when the female lays the egg all the way to the day an eaglet becomes a fledgling.

Whenever people see an eagle flying through the air, they stop and watch. They are so majestic.

So, why wasn't there very many eagles when I was growing up? It is estimated that when European settlers first arrived in North America, 500,000 Bald Eagles soared across its skies. But as more and more people came to the new world, the relationship between people and eagles became troubled. The eagles were slow moving birds that were eating farmer's chickens and livestock so hunters were paid to shoot them. By the turn of the century, state and federal agencies offered hunters bounties of up to two dollars a bird.

Bald Eagle Between 1917 and 1953, the state of Alaska alone paid hunters to kill more than 100,000 eagles. In the meantime, loggers and farmers were destroying the habitat that eagles thrived. In the 1940's, the use of pesticides, like DDT, was causing chemical poisoning. That disrupted eagle reproduction, causing female eagles to lay eggs with thin, easily broken shells.

By 1970, the attack on the eagles had wiped out the number of eagles leaving fewer than 1,000 pairs of breeding eagles in the lower 48 states. Someone finally woke up and decided to do something about saving our Bald Eagle.

In 1973 lawmakers created the Endangered Species Act and the eagle was one of the first species to be given protection under the new law. By 1978, it was listed as endangered in 43 of the lower 48 states, and threatened in the other five.

It was a huge undertaking but by protecting habitats, banning the use of DDT and other pesticides, and raising young eagles by hand to be released into the wild, Americans helped their national symbol retake the skies. In 1995 the Bald Eagle population had recovered enough for the bird’s status to be changed from endangered to threatened, and in 2007 it was removed completely from the list. I appreciate the efforts made to bring back the eagle.

Many people photograph eagles throughout the year but this winter has been a real treat. The on and off cold weather has prevented the lakes from completely freezing over for long periods of time. Trips to local lakes have provided many opportunities to find these big birds perched in trees along the flowing creeks or sitting on the lake ice near pools of open water.

I spend a lot of time in western Pennsylvania watching a few known mating pairs. One windy evening, I was standing on a bridge above a lake, watching a female eagle jump and walk about the ice looking for dead gizzard shad frozen just below the surface.

Bald Eagle

Occasionally, she would find one. Winter die off is normal for gizzard shad, which are especially susceptible to cold conditions.

Bald Eagle

I didn't need to wait very long before seeing the male come to be with his mate.

Bald Eagle

After circling the area a few times, he landed on the ice. Bald Eagle

Footing is unsure on the ice so it was comical watching him land and maintain balance at the same time.

Bald Eagle

At that time, I decided a better viewpoint might be from the docks at water level. This photo shows communication between the pair. The much larger female is on the right.

Bald Eagle

After the male flew off, the female continued to sit on the ice. About 1/2 hour before the sun set, the clouds parted for about 30 seconds, allowing me to photograph her basking in the golden sunlight.

Bald Eagle

Shortly after the sun disappeared behind the clouds again, she left the ice and headed back to the nest site where she perched in a dead tree.

Bald Eagle

This particular pair of eagles have had some bad luck with their nest the last couple of years. During both off seasons, the nest got blown down or fell apart for some reason. The trees that are tall and strong enough to satisfy eagle nesting needs tend to be old and sometimes may be nearing the end of their life. Sometimes, the nest tree dies but stays strong for awhile and the eagles will continue to use their nest, despite the death of the nest tree, often until the tree or nest falls down. When an eagle nest blows down, the eagle pair will usually build another nest nearby.

The Bald Eagle builds the largest nest, called an eerie, of any North American bird. I can be up to 13 feet deep, 8.2 feet wide, and 1.1 tons in weight. January and February is the time eagles in western Pennsylvania begin to build or add to their nest. They usually work on it two to three months before eggs are laid. One of the nests I like to watch is a couple hundred yards from the road but nest building activity is still very interesting and exciting to watch.

One of the most fun activities to watch is the collection of sticks for their nest. If you are fortunate enough to see the how they break sticks from standing trees, you will think it is pretty neat. I didn't know what was about to happen when this male left his perch and flew directly to another. The series of photographs that follow displays an eagles technique of collecting sticks from standing trees. (Click the smaller photos for a larger view)

Bald Eagle

Coming in for the landing Bald Eagle	Grasping the tallest limb of the tree Bald Eagle
Catching his balance Bald Eagle	Pausing for a moment Bald Eagle

With wings held straight up in the air, he jumped. With all of his weight coming down on the branch, it snapped off at the base.

Bald Eagle

Falling and hanging onto the branch with his right foot, he maneuvered over the remaining branches.

Bald Eagle

A quick uplift took him over the first obstacles.

Bald Eagle

With branch hanging in his right foot, he begins to make a smooth flight now.

Bald Eagle

If you look closely, you can see dead branches shattering all around his feet. (Click the photo for a larger view)

Bald Eagle

Tightly holding onto the stick, he gains some lift.

Bald Eagle

Within seconds, he turns and heads toward the nest.

Bald Eagle

Here he is approaching the nest with the next piece of the puzzle. Notice the female laying low in the nest. Bald Eagle

Many times, this is where the large sticks begin to clash against other branches and fall to the ground. This delivery was successful.

Bald Eagle

Both sexes bring materials to the nest, but the female does most of the placement. They weave together sticks and fill in the cracks with softer material such as grass, moss, or cornstalks. I'm not sure if they ever finish rearranging the sticks in the nest but shortly before laying eggs, they begin to create the part of the nest where the eggs will be laid, called the bole. The bole is lined with softer materials and eagle down feathers.

Bald Eagle

I have to tell you, that was a pretty awesome sight to see. It won't be long and there will be one, two, or maybe three eaglets in that nest. They won't know the work that preceded their existence and all they will understand is what their parents teach them, but in four to five years, instinct will cause them to do the same.

A Bald Eagle perched in a tree is one of the most majestic sights to see. The American Indians believed they were the link between them and their creator. Even from a great distance, it is hard to turn away.

Bald Eagle

Below is a juvenile Bald Eagle. Even though they are as large as an adult, they do not get their full white head and tail feathers until the age of four or five.

Bald Eagle

Here are two more photos of Bald Eagles I found sitting in the trees. (Click on the photo for a larger view)

Bald Eagle

In the winter, Bald Eagles will often perch along open water of creeks and rivers because the lakes have frozen over. It certainly makes for nice photo opportunities but I try not to visit them too much because they may leave an area if there is too much human disturbance. They do command respect; it's no wonder they are our National Symbol of Freedom.

Bald Eagle

So how did the Bald Eagle become our national symbol? I've always heard that Benjamin Franklin wanted to have a turkey represent our great nation. In a letter to his daughter, Ben once wrote, in part, "For a truth, the turkey is in comparison a much more respectable bird, and withal a true original native of America..."

Ben was a pretty important guy in those days so I became curious as to why he didn't get his way. In my research, I found the following information on The History Channel that sums it up so well I decided to include most of the article.

"The Bald Eagle’s role as a national symbol is linked to its 1782 landing on the Great Seal of the United States. Shortly after the Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4, 1776, the Continental Congress gave Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams the job of designing an official seal for the new nation. However, the three Founding Fathers failed to come up with a design that won Congress’ approval, as did two later committees that were given the task. In mid-June 1782, the work of all three committees was handed over to Charles Thomson, the secretary of Congress. Thomson chose what he thought were the best elements of the various designs and made the eagle—which had been introduced by artistically inclined Pennsylvania lawyer William Barton in a design submitted by the third committee—more prominent. (Since ancient times, the eagle has been considered a sign of strength; Roman legions used the animal as their standard, or symbol.)

Thomson also recommended that the small, white eagle used in Barton’s design be replaced with an American Bald Eagle, and Congress adopted this design on June 20, 1782. (Contrary to legend, there’s no evidence Ben Franklin protested to Congress about the choice of the Bald Eagle and lobbied for the turkey, although in a 1784 letter to his daughter he did label the bald eagle “a bird of bad moral character.”) As the design went on to appear on official documents, currency, flags, public buildings and other government-related items, the Bald Eagle became an American icon."

Bald Eagle

When you visit a lake and find an eagle or two circling the water, going into a fast decent, and snatching a fish from the water, it is hard to hold back the excitement. I look around at other people and they all have smiles on their faces just like little kids. You can't help it, it's an awesome sight to see.

Because eagles tend to stay around large larkes, it takes a lot of luck for that to happen right in front of you. That is one reason winter eagle watching is so special in the northern United States. Open water can be limited and that is where the birds will be.

A couple weeks ago I was sitting along a shore watching a section of open water in a lake that was probably about 75% frozen. I swung my camera around at the sight of this juvenile eagle flying along the shoreline.

Bald Eagle

I continued to photograph as it flew by.

Bald Eagle

You need to be fast and have a lot of reach from your camera lens to get photos of eagles fishing because it usually happens pretty far out in the lake. Here is an adult pulling a gizzard shad out of the water.

Bald Eagle

Sometimes, I've seen as many as 30 to 40 eagles somewhere around the same lake. In the photo below, I was watching eight of them sitting on the ice beyond the open water.

Bald Eagle

I like to pick a spot, like the shore in front of the eight eagles in the photo above, and stay there for hours. It can become quite chilly standing quietly and motionless for three or four hours but that is usually how you are going to get fishing photos up close. If you wait long enough, they may not view you as a disturbance or intruder and will usually go about their business.

Bald Eagle

After circling the portion of the lake to my left, this eagle finally came down to snatch the gizzard shad from the water.

Bald Eagle

Of course, after the fish is taken from the water the eagle needs to eat it. Eagles are opportunists and when an eagle catches a fish, nearby eagles will try to steal it. That fact is one of the reasons Ben Franklin was against the Bald Eagle being used as our national symbol.

Bald Eagle

If the fish is a big one the eagle usually flies to a perch to eat. However, if the fish is small, like these shad, the eagle transfers the fish from foot to mouth and swallows it whole, all while flying through the air.

Bald Eagle

One of my favorite things to discover when reviewing my photographs is when I captured an eagle in a twisting dive. The wing, tail, and head positions tell the story.

Bald Eagle

Here is another foot to mouth fish transfer.

Bald Eagle

Patience rewarded me as this eagle flew very close. If you look at its eye, you can see the nictitating membrane partially covering it. If you would like to learn more about this "third eyelid" please click the link to my March, 2015 photo blog called Eagle Eye.

Bald Eagle

It's hard for me to describe, but the sight of a lone Bald Eagle, soaring freely across the land, makes me feel proud because of the freedom it represents.

Bald Eagle

The eagle population in the lower 48 has made a great comeback since the 1970's. I no longer need to wonder how, when, or where I'm going to see a Bald Eagle. That's okay by me!

I hope you enjoyed these Bald Eagle photos and stories. I learn a lot watching the animals I photograph and the research I do to complete a blog gives me knowledge that I can use to make my wildlife photography better. Best of all, my experiences, the people I was with, and the people I've met, helped to make memories I will carry with me forever.

Thanks for looking,

Dan

Mid-Winter Wildlife Encounters

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Wed, 10 Feb 2016 00:23:11 GMT

Winter can be a slow time for anyone wishing to photograph wildlife in Western Pennsylvania. The number of bird species is a lot lower than during the warmer seasons. Our wildlife still roams the countryside but some are a little more difficult to find because of some form of hibernation or they become much less active, preserving fat to help survive the winter. Top that off with a little bit of laziness on my part and I can go through January and February without many photographs and stories to share.

This year's mild winter changed everything for me. I have been able to get out more than usual and come home with exciting images. The photos in this blog post may cover a few months, but if I found the scene interesting or the subject unusual or rare, I saved it to share.

When you think of raptors, you typically think of large birds like hawks and eagles. The American Kestrel, despite being North America’s smallest falcon, is still a fierce predator.

American KestrelFemale

Commonly seen perched on telephone wires along roadsides, the American Kestrel hunts for insects and small prey in open fields. Generally, they are difficult to come upon and photograph because they usually fly down the road 50 or more yards and perch.

After eating a vole on top of a telephone pole, this female kestrel flew into a row of trees where I was able to make this image.

American KestrelFemale

The American Kestrel is one of the most colorful of all raptors. The main difference between a male and female is the male’s slate-blue head and wings compared to the females warm, reddish wings, back, and tail. Unfortunately, kestrels are usually perched high so, many times, a photographer is stuck with a lifeless sky.

American KestrelFemale

Here is a little group of doe that I came across one evening. The setting sun provided a nice back light that I usually try to avoid in wildlife photography. I overexposed the subject and toned down the patchy sunlight and I think I was left with a nice image that looks very much like the actual scene.

White-tailed Deer

A common sight at the backyard feeder is the White-breasted Nuthatch. Whenever you are sitting quietly in the woods, you will eventually hear the low-pitched "wha-wha-wha" of this bird as it searches the tree bark for insects.

White-breasted Nuthatch

Eagles have been very active this winter. I made this image seconds after the eagle left its perch on the dead tree in the right side of the photo.

Bald Eagle

Saw this Ring-necked Pheasant hen in late 2015. She was playing in the edge of a lake until I drove past her. I thought that was a great photo opportunity so I backed my vehicle up slowly. She cowered in the deep vegetation but soon came out of hiding and flew. Once she landed, I made this image seconds before she walked into the woods.

Ring-necked PheasantHen

Open country, including fields, wet meadows, cattail marshes, bogs, and croplands are all good habitat to find a Northern Harrier. I found this female sitting in a field in Crawford County.

Northern HarrierFemale

I wanted to wait until she took flight and hopefully begin to hunt the field. After a few minutes, I realized I might be in for a long wait as she began to preen and stretch.

Northern HarrierFemale

Then she got into this position. Seconds later, from out of nowhere, a male harrier dive-bombed her, narrowly missing and kept going. She immediately followed. Everything happened so fast I didn't even squeeze the shutter button on my camera. In my opinion, this pose looks like she was being submissive for a mate, maybe the one that flew by.

Northern HarrierFemale

It's always nice to run into a White-tailed buck in the woods. I was lucky to get this shot. Two seconds and two leaps later, he was gone.

White-tailed Deer

I made a few trips to Pymatuning State Park this winter in search of Snow Buntings. I've heard reports of large flocks being found in the park. The only ones I saw was a small flock of four birds on the Ohio side of the causeway. So far, this is the best I could do. I still have time before they head to the arctic north and their breeding ground.

Snow BuntingPymatuning State Park

Even though the rut was over he was still interested in which direction the does were heading.

White-tailed Deer

The anatomy of a great bird photo is good light, side or 3/4 pose with the bird facing slightly towards you, no unsightly obstructions in front of the bird, and a clean background. I have them all in this image of a Belted Kingfisher, except for the numerous twigs in the foreground.

Belted KingfisherMale

The Tundra Swan migration will occur through March. I spotted these two in the sky above Pymatuning State Park while I was watching the harrier in previous photos.

Tundra Swan

I was looking for waterfowl in open water at Moraine State Park in Butler County, PA when I found three Muskrats, sitting in a shallow inlet still covered by ice, chewing on what looks like the roots of underwater vegetation.

Muskrat

I was able to photograph two of them but the third had his back towards me most of the time. It kept diving under water and when it returned, it was always looking the other way. Doesn't it look like it is smiling at me?

Muskrat

Early one morning, while standing along a lake watching Bald Eagles rebuild their nest, I heard the distinct voice of a Carolina Wren singing "teakettle, teakettle, teakettle". Finally, it jumped onto a log in my line of sight. I was hoping it would move up the branch a little to give me a less distracted photo but, his next move was to a location 30 yards away.

Carolina Wren

The Bald Eagle has become a very popular subject. If you are fortunate enough to live near an active nest, set aside a few hours and go watch the nest to get an idea of a day in the life of an eagle. This photo was made while watching a nesting pair of Bald Eagles rebuild their nest.

Bald Eagle
Check back soon for my next photo blog about the return of the Bald Eagle.

Until next time,
Dan

The Challenge of Identifying Songbirds in the Fall

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Thu, 14 Jan 2016 00:51:38 GMT

It's only mid-January and I'm already thinking about springtime and the return of songbirds. Many will be migrating into land farther north while others come back to western Pennsylvania to breed. I love to photograph birds and over the last three or four years, I've learned a lot. I'm not as quick at bird identification as an experienced birder but I eventually get it. Sometimes, I recruit help of friends for an ID.

September is the perfect time of year to evaluate your level of expertise. Many of the birds that are so easily identifiable in the spring, are really difficult in the fall. Many males, but not all, lose their beautiful palette of colors as the days grow shorter. To an inexperienced birder or wildlife photographer, a male may blend in and become unnoticed. Some can be confused with their female counterparts, whose colors don't change very much, or first year birds, male and female, that may look like an adult female. That is the topic for this photo blog.

Using photos of male songbirds made in April or May, I will attempt to compare them to the same species in the fall. Some comparisons are drawn between males and some with females or juveniles. My goal isn't to compare what a male looks like in the spring and fall but instead, to show you how difficult it can be to identify a fall bird.

Before we begin let's take a look at some terms that I may use to describe identifying features.

Please remember that I am not an expert birder. My goal is simply to share the wonders of nature, with you, through my lens. I gather my information from experts that wrote books providing excellent descriptions. The following is my interpretation of their descriptions combined with my own knowledge and experience. With that said, let's begin with the Bay-breasted Warbler.

The breeding male is identified by his black lore and cheeks, chestnut crown, throat, breast and sides, two white wing bars, and pale yellow belly.

Bay-breasted WarblerAdult Male (Spring)

This photo, made in early fall, is another male Bay-breasted Warbler. You can see several differences in his appearance. His marks include an olive colored crown, dark eyeline, whitish throat, olive back, two white wing bars, and light chestnut sides. The fall female is very similar but an identifying feature is a lack of chestnut on her sides.

Bay-breasted WarblerAdult Male (Fall)

The bright yellow eyebrow and cheeks of a Black-throated Green Warbler makes it easy to recognize spring through fall. The olive-green crown, eyeline, back and rump combined with a black throat and black striped sides helps even a novice birder learn his name fast.

Black-throated Green WarblerAdult Male (Spring)

For me, this is a tricky image of a Black-throated Green Warbler. A fall male is similar to the spring male except he has white mixed in the black throat and neck. With all the white in the throat and chest and the finer black streaks on its sides, I believe this is a female Black-throated Green Warbler.

Black-throated Green WarblerFemale (fall)

The male Blackburnian Warbler is dressed for Halloween, even in the spring. Previously known as "Firethroat" or "Torchbird", the Blackburnian is the only warbler with an orange throat.

Blackburnian WarblerAdult Male (Spring)

In the fall, the subdued colors of the male and female make look very similar. The separation of the wing bars indicate this is a female. A male's wing bars are closer and can look like one white patch.

Blackburnian WarblerFemale (Fall)

The black eyeline and blue-gray wings define the springtime male Blue-winged Warbler.

Blue-winged WarblerAdult Male (Spring)

In the fall, the male and female look very similar as they both have a duller yellow crown and a duskier black eyeline. However, the thicker wingbars indicates to me this is also a male Blue-winged Warbler.

Blue-winged WarblerMale (fall)

In the spring, the male Chestnut-sided Warbler will sing his "Pleased, pleased, pleased to meet you" song to let other males know they are in his territory. The yellow crown and prominent chestnut sides help us identify the Chestnut-sided Warbler.

Chestnut-sided WarblerAdult Male (Spring)

This next photo is a male Chestnut-sided Warbler in his first fall. Males, females, and juveniles look very similar in the fall but the faint chestnut sides is a mark of the male.

Chestnut-sided WarblerFirst-year Male

The distinctive black mask makes the male Common Yellowthroat look like the Lone Ranger of the bird world. I have read that this bird was once known as an Olive-colored Yellow-throated Wren.

Common YellowthroatAdult Male (Spring)

In the fall, an adult, male, Common Yellowthroat will look very similar to a spring adult but with browner flanks. When you see a Common Yellowthroat like the one in the image below, the dirty cheeks or faint mask tells us it is a first year male.

Common YellowthroatMale (Fall)

The heavy black streaking on the yellow breast and sides of the male Magnolia Warbler really stands out against the spring greenery.

Magnolia WarblerAdult Male (Spring)

This is definitely a first fall, immature, Magnolia Warbler but which gender? You can see the light gray streaking on its chest. The first fall female has very little streaking on the chest but I don't have a photo of a male to compare. I'm going to leave this ID as "an immature".

Magnolia Warbler

This is definitely the blue-gray head, yellow throat, olive-green back, and white eyering of a male Nashville Warbler. If you look carefully, you can slightly see the chestnut patch on his crown.

Nashville WarblerAdult Male (Spring)

The fall Nashville Warbler is duller overall. The immature and females will have more white in their throat and chest. Based on the amount of yellow remaining on the chest, I'm going to call this a male Nashville Warbler.

Nashville WarblerMale (fall)

The Northern Parula is one of the smallest warblers but they make up for it with their beautiful plumage. I'm not even going to bore you describing all the different colors on this bird. A female is similar but overall duller than the male. The black and chestnut colored chestband of the male Northern Parula, pictured below, is more prominent than on the female. Northern ParulaAdult Male (Spring)

The fall, male and female Northern Parula have plumage very similar to spring, only duller. An immature female lacks a chestband. The bird in the photo below has a faint chestband so I'm going to say he's a first fall male.

Northern Parula

The gray head, dark eyeline, white eyebrow, white underparts, and greenish back are some of the identifying marks of a Tennessee Warbler. I found this one hanging upside down in a Hemlock tree searching for invertebrates.

Tennessee WarblerAdult Male (Spring)

Fall adults are very similar of spring adults. What makes this a hard one is fall females and immatures cannot reliably be identified in the fall. The Tennessee Warbler in the photo below could be a fall female or a first fall male or female.

Tennessee Warbler

The Yellow-rumped Warbler is one of the first warblers you will see in the spring. The bright yellow rump and sides coupled with the blue-gray back and black streaked chest, makes him one of the most identifiable birds in the spring.

Yellow-rumped WarblerAdult Male (Spring)

Fall adult and immature Yellow-rumped Warblers are similar to spring females but with an overall wash of brown. Immature females will not have yellow on her sides so that tells me this is an adult female or an immature male. Incidentally, the Yellow-rumped Warbler is the most abundant warbler in our fall migration.

Yellow-rumped WarblerMale

Wow, now that I finished this photo blog I'm more confused on a couple species of these birds. Oh well, right or wrong, it's fun to try to identify them.

Until next time,

Dan

Ring-necked Pheasant - The Chinese Pheasant

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Mon, 28 Dec 2015 02:26:12 GMT

Ring-necked Pheasants are native to East Asia and China but have been successfully relocated into other countries, including North America. If you consider some of the other birds that have been imported into the United States, like the English Sparrow and Starling, the Ring-necked Pheasant is one of the few that haven't become a nuisance. Introduced to California in 1857 and to other states in the 1880's, they quickly became a top game bird.

The ring-neck's scientific name is Phasianus colchicus, and it is a member of the Phasianidae, or pheasant, family. I found the following information on the DesertUSA website that gives a sense of how old this species is. "The genus name Phasianus (fay-sih-AY-nus) is from the Greek word "phasianos" meaning "of the Phasis River," which is located in the country along the east coast of the Black Sea. The river is now called the Rion. The species name colchicus (COL-kih-kus) is Latin for Colchis, an area in Greek mythology which was a province and city at the eastern end of the Black Sea and the Phasis River. It was from this region that the Greek Argonauts were said to have brought home the original pheasant stock to their own country".

The photos in this photo blog were made with a Canon 7D mark II body, a Canon 600mm II f/4 lens, and for the final two images I used a 1.4x extender. The pheasants averaged 95 yards away.

The male, or "cock", is a vibrantly colored bird with red wattles (fold of skin hanging from a bird's neck or face) and an iridescent green neck with a distinctive white neck ring. He also has a long copper colored tail with black stripes. He has a powerful voice that can be heard up to a mile away.

Ring-necked PheasantMale (Cock)

The plumage of a female, or "hen", is a subtle, camouflaging mixture of brown, black, and gray.

Ring-necked PheasantFemale (Hen)

Although most pheasants are found around farms, fields, marsh edges, and brush, they may live in any semi-open habitat. However, they are mostly found in brushy meadows, woodland edges, hedgerows, farmland with mixed crops and edges of marshes. I found this male in an open field alongside a large section of brushy meadow that hid three hens.

Ring-necked PheasantMale (Cock)

When the hens got a little excited that I was nearby, they began to fly short distances back and forth causing the cock to call to them. Adults of each sex give specialized calls associated with flight, alarm, distress, copulation, and incubation. The female uses one call to signal her brood to hide from danger, another to call them back together.

Ring-necked PheasantMale (Cock)

Pheasants are very comfortable on the ground, where they forage for grains, seeds, berries, insects, and, occasionally, small animals. When they take-off, their lift-off is nearly vertical and they only fly in short bursts and distances.

Ring-necked PheasantFemale (Hen)

Below is a short video of the Pheasants searching for corn left over from the mechanical corn picker. Click on the center triangle to play the video.

Ring-necked Pheasant's in winter cornfield

Ring-necked Pheasants have a tough time surviving harsh winters. Unlike the Ruffed Grouse, they do not have feathers on their legs for protection from the cold. Many of the birds that are found have been pen-raised by designated farmers or the Pennsylvania Game Commission for the purpose of hunting. Pen-raised birds lack the survival skills to establish their population so annual stocking is required. Changes to the farming industry has also reduced their favorable habitats.

Ring-necked PheasantMale (Cock) & Female (Hen)

In really harsh winters, pheasants have been known to hide among native vegetation for protection. In extreme cold, they cope by remaining dormant for a few days. They are hardy birds and have sharp survival instincts and given adequate food and protective cover, pheasants can survive rough winters.

Ring-necked PheasantMale (Cock) & Female (Hen)

The pheasant averages 36 inches long from beak to tip of tail and has a wingspan of 22–34 inches.

Ring-necked PheasantMale (Cock)

Here you can see the greenish ear tufts that grow on the sides of their head.

Ring-necked PheasantMale (Cock)

Thanks for looking,

Dan

Will The Real Red Head Please Stand Up

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Tue, 22 Dec 2015 19:52:29 GMT

Many birds have been named according to their color patterns. You have Golden-winged, Blue-winged, Black-throated, Chestnut-sided, Yellow-rumped, Red-headed, and Red-bellied to name a few. Most of the time they accurately describe the bird but sometimes the names are confusing and misguiding. In this blog post I would like to talk about woodpeckers with the color red on their head.

The following photo of a male Red-bellied Woodpecker sure is confusing. What red belly? Actually, they do have a small area of red on their belly that is difficult to see in normal viewing directions. Many people refer to them as Red-Headed Woodpecker, but, of course, they are not.

Red-bellied WoodpeckerMale

The following red headed woodpecker, the Pileated Woodpecker, has an often mispronounced name. Merriam-Webster lists the pronunciation like this: pī-lē-ˌā-təd. The Pileated is the largest of all our woodpeckers and prefer a large, undisturbed, plot of woods for breeding. Their swooping flight and loud, boisterous call will stop you in your tracks.

Pileated Woodpecker

The Northern Flicker has a red crescent on the nape of the neck. The flicker in the photo below is a female.

Northern FlilckerFemale

The Downey Woodpecker (left) and the longer, thicker billed Hairy Woodpecker (right) both have red coloring on their heads. Once again, the coloring is gender specific to the male.

Downey WoodpeckerMale

Hairy WoodpeckerMale

Now it's time to get to the real red head of the forest. The Red-headed Woodpecker has an entirely crimson head, a snow-white body, and half white, half inky black wings. When flying, it has been referred to as a "Flying Checkerboard".

The Red-headed Woodpecker likes open, deciduous woodlands, especially oak forests. In an interesting note, the Red-headed Woodpecker is one of only four North American woodpeckers known to store food, and it is the only one known to cover the stored food with wood or bark. Also, it hides insects and seeds in cracks in wood and under bark.

Red-headed Woodpecker

The day I photographed this Red-headed Woodpecker was sunny but hovering around 30 degrees and forecasters called for zero wind chill temperatures. I could hear its call as it flew from tree to tree mostly staying high in the branches. Then I lost sight of it. Since I didn't get a photo yet, I decided to wait for its return. Fifteen minutes went by, then 30, then 45 and I still couldn't hear or see it. My fingers and ears were frozen because I was under dressed for a lengthy photo shoot. Finally, I gave up and walked back to my vehicle parked about 50 yards away.

Of course, my bird was perched in a tree right above my vehicle. As I approached, it gave its distinct, territorial call and flew into higher branches. Suddenly, I wasn't cold anymore and I was able to capture more images of this gorgeous bird. As I told this story to my friend, Tom Dorsey, he replied, "It's funny how you don't feel the cold once there is something in the viewfinder". How true.

Red-headed Woodpecker

By the way, with this species of woodpecker, the male and female look alike so I have no idea if this is a male or female bird. After patiently waiting, it flew down to an opening in a tree about five feet off the ground and picked and pecked through the frozen water held inside.

Red-headed Woodpeckers eat insects, fruits, and seeds. About one-third of their diet is animal material, mostly insects. The other two-thirds is plant material. Surprisingly, they are also one of our most skillful flycatchers. In the winter, they spend the warmer days searching for insects but on colder days, they eat acorns, beech nuts, and pecans or whatever they have cached on tree bark.

Red-headed Woodpecker

Below is a video of the Red-headed Woodpecker pecking the ice in the hole of a tree. I shot this with a Canon 7D MK II and Canon 600mm II lens. The length of the barrel made it difficult to hold steady in the strong wind so, sorry for the camera shake during the video. One thing I would like you to notice in this video is how the Red-headed Woodpecker uses its tail for support as it pecks and probes the tree.

Red-headed Woodpecker Red-headed Woodpecker

One nice feature of a lens with a long focal length is if you are far enough away from the subject, even birds high in the trees can appear lower.

Red-headed Woodpecker

As the sun was setting in the west and light began to disappear, my Red-headed Woodpecker found a perch high in a tree and began to preen its feathers. After 15 minutes, I felt it was settling down for the evening so, with a deep appreciation of the time I got to spend in its world, I bid farewell.

Red-headed Woodpecker

I hope you enjoyed this brief comparison of woodpeckers with red on their head. Hopefully, I will capture more interesting photos of the Red-headed Woodpecker throughout the winter and if I'm lucky, I'll find its nest tree in the spring.

Thanks for looking,

Dan

World Famous Conowingo Eagles

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Thu, 26 Nov 2015 23:00:51 GMT

It was nearing the end of October and I was talking to a fellow wildlife photographer and friend, Tom Dorsey, when he said to me "I've always wanted to go to Conowingo". Of course, I replied, "Me too; just never made it". Within the next few days, we had hotel rooms booked, vacation days scheduled, and our fingers crossed that the weather would cooperate two weeks away, to make a trip to Darlington, Maryland and Conowingo Dam.

Normally, I wouldn't find a lot of fun standing along the shores of a river, below a dam, for nine hours a day. But November through January is a different story as Conowingo Dam attracts over a hundred species of birds with the Bald Eagles stealing the show.

So why do the eagles come to Conowingo? The Conowingo Dam is a large, hydroelectric dam, owned by Exelon, in the lower Susquehanna River in Darlington, Maryland. When the turbines are running, large intake valves suck water, fish and eels, through the dam and out the other side. Getting sucked through the turbines stuns some of the fish and eels causing them to float, providing excellent feeding for birds. The dam is a secondary facility so their electric generation is erratic. From what I understand, it usually happens in the morning and late afternoon.

Conowingo is considered to be one of the best places in the world to watch eagles. Photographers like it because the position of the sun is nearly always behind the viewer.

Photographers at Conowingo DamConowingo Dam, Susquehanna River, Darlington, MD

Tom and I arrived at the dam about 7:00 a.m. on Friday, November 13th. It was the first time visiting the dam for both of us so we didn't know what to expect and planned to learn as we go. I've read stories that there have been as high as 300 eagles seen along the shores and in the air. There weren't that many this weekend but we were still satisfied with the 50 plus eagles we did see.

The Susquehanna River is very wide. Near the dam, the water only extended about half way across the nearly 1,000 yard river boundaries with boulders occupying the second half. The waters edge that we could see is nearly 400 yards away from where we were set up. I was using a Canon 600mm lens and a 1.4x extender on either a Canon 7D MK II or 5D MK III body. Even with that power, it was better when the birds were on "our side" of the river.

In the Google Earth image to the left, our position was the green dot and the lines reference the distances I was explaining above.

No matter how many times I see and photograph our national bird, they still impress me with their beauty.

Bald EagleConowingo Dam, Susquehanna River, Darlington, MD

One of my biggest goals of the weekend was to photograph the moment an eagle snatches a fish out of the water. Over the next two days, they did not disappoint. Here is a frame just as the eagle was inches above the water and its prey.

Bald EagleConowingo Dam, Susquehanna River, Darlington, MD

And the moment right after it locked onto the fish.

Bald EagleConowingo Dam, Susquehanna River, Darlington, MD

Then, it's off to a nearby tree to eat.

Bald EagleConowingo Dam, Susquehanna River, Darlington, MD

Another frequent visitor at Conowingo is the Black Vulture. There were a lot more of them than Bald Eagles. While scanning the far shoreline, I photographed this large flock soaking up the sun. On a side note, there are signs on the fences around the park warning people about the Black Vultures. Apparently, they like to chew on rubber and plastic and have destroyed vehicle windshield wipers and trim.

Black VulturesConowingo Dam, Susquehanna River, Darlington, MD

There were several juvenile Bald Eagles in the area. A Bald Eagle doesn't have its notorious white head and tail feathers until it is at least five years old. From a fledgling to five years they have varying degrees of white and brown feathers.

Bald EagleJuvenile

Conowingo Dam, Susquehanna River, Darlington, MD

It may be young but this juvenile eagle has mastered the hunt and catch.

Bald EagleJuvenile
Conowingo Dam, Susquehanna River, Darlington, MD

Getting back to the dam for a moment, I mentioned earlier that when they generate power, it becomes a feeding frenzy for the birds. Before the water is released they sound an alarm that sounds like a fire siren. When the alarm sounds, the gulls take to the air because they know what is going to happen. In my observation, the eagles didn't react as quickly but seemed to wait patiently until they could actually see the fish. If you are one of the people standing near the shoreline, you were about to get your feet wet. They generated electricity three times while we were there. I would estimate the water rose about four feet two of the times and less the third time.

To give you a better idea, I put together a short video of cell phone video clips and a 5D MK III closeup of the exiting water mixed in.

Conowingo Dam, Darlington, MD Conowingo Dam, Darlington, MD

I was very impressed with an eagles ability to change direction in the sky in a split second. Note in the image below the varying angles of the head, body, wings, and tail as this eagle likely spotted a fish in the water.

Bald EagleConowingo Dam, Susquehanna River, Darlington, MD

Some very dramatic photographs can be made with an abrupt change of direction.

Bald EagleConowingo Dam, Susquehanna River, Darlington, MD

There are several historic towns in the area so our plan on the first day was to find a local eatery for lunch.

The Union Hotel, in the nearby historic town of Port Deposit, MD, caught our eye as we drove by so we decided to stop for lunch. The experience was a step back in time. The hotel was constructed, circa 1794, of hemlock logs, during the heyday of the Susquehanna canal. Some of the canal beds still exist across from the building.

The Union HotelCell Phone Pic - Port Deposit, MD

The antique laden front porch creates an atmosphere that Tom and I agreed our wives would love.

The Union HotelCell Phone Pic - Port Deposit, MD

The restaurant features a 1790's atmosphere complete with candlelight, a warm hearth, and the servers were even dressed in colonial attire. The menu offered a wide variety of food with many seasonal offerings. Of course, my eyes were hungrier than my stomach. I had a burger that was at least an inch and a half thick and cooked perfectly throughout. I wanted to try something different so I ordered a side dish of sauteed broccoli in garlic. It was awesome. OK, now I'm really getting hungry!

The lunch crowd began filtering in just about the time we were leaving. That was alright with me because I got to explore the other rooms of the building.

This building was a hotel and tavern in the 1700's. The owner, and some of her employees, say it is haunted by a ghostly lady in a blue gown. If I had known that before my visit, I may not have gone to the restroom alone.

The Union HotelCell Phone Pic - Port Deposit, MD

After taking another 20 minutes to explore the historic town of Port Deposit, we headed back to the Dam.

The subjects in the next three photos were about 300 yards away so the image quality isn't top quality but I have to share this action. Just as this juvenile eagle was about to snatch a fish out of the water, a smaller and swifter gull got to it first. You can see the fish in the mouth of the gull.

Bald EagleJuvenile
Conowingo Dam, Susquehanna River, Darlington, MD

The eagle didn't appreciate that and began the chase.

Bald EagleJuvenile
Conowingo Dam, Susquehanna River, Darlington, MD

After some dramatic maneuvers, the gull was able to escape with the catch.

Bald EagleJuvenile
Conowingo Dam, Susquehanna River, Darlington, MD

As the sun began to set, the lighting became poor for photography unless the bird was high enough, like this four year old, to be struck by the waning light.

Bald EagleJuvenile
Conowingo Dam, Susquehanna River, Darlington, MD

Tom and I managed to get some photos of the Black Vultures that were hanging around all day. We made it through the first day without losing a windshield wiper.

Black VultureConowingo Dam, Susquehanna River, Darlington, MD

Our hotel was in the town of North East, MD. If you ever get there, I recommend dinner at Woody's Crab House, voted #2 best restaurant in North East, MD. Tom told me the Chesapeake Bay Crab Cakes were delicious and I would recommend "Woody's Scampi" (shrimp scampi with linguini), any day. After washing it down with a couple beers, we passed on the nightlife for an early bedtime because 4:30 a.m. would come very quickly.

We arrived at the dam well before sunrise on a very chilly and windy day two. Despite the cold, it was a beautiful and welcome sight as the sun peaked above the horizon.

Conowingo Dam SunriseCell Phone Pic - Conowingo Dam, Susquehanna River, Darlington, MD

It was time for Tom and I to make sure our settings were correct for the changing light conditions.

Photographers at Conowingo DamTom Dorsey right up front.
Cell Phone Pic - Conowingo Dam, Susquehanna River, Darlington, MD

The morning sun even makes an extremely large, concrete, hydroelectric plant look good.

Conowingo Dam SunriseCell Phone Pic - Conowingo Dam, Susquehanna River, Darlington, MD

Just like the day before, the eagles were very active. Bald EagleConowingo Dam, Susquehanna River, Darlington, MD

Let the fishing tournament begin.

Bald EagleConowingo Dam, Susquehanna River, Darlington, MD

It is not uncommon for fights to happen when one eagle catches a fish and the others don't. Unfortunately, I have to wait until my next visit to capture a closeup fight. When you see a chase and fight, you need to be quick. I wasn't quick enough and the few I photographed weren't sharp enough to share. I did, however, catch a chase along the far shore.

Bald EagleConowingo Dam, Susquehanna River, Darlington, MD

The Bald Eagle is so intense, yet graceful, as they use the swift air currents to lower themselves to the water.

Bald EagleConowingo Dam, Susquehanna River, Darlington, MD

The Black Vultures were flying around all day. Although some would call them ugly because of their wrinkled, grayish head, there is beauty in the silvery underside of their primary feathers glistening in the sunlight with every wing beat.

Black VultureConowingo Dam, Susquehanna River, Darlington, MD

Not all the fish pulled from the water were big. As a viewer, I couldn't always tell if they had one or not.

Bald EagleConowingo Dam, Susquehanna River, Darlington, MD

When the fish was small, the eagles didn't even bother to land before eating it. They made the exchange from feet to mouth on the fly.

Bald EagleConowingo Dam, Susquehanna River, Darlington, MD

With food in its mouth, this eagle is already looking for the next one.

Bald EagleConowingo Dam, Susquehanna River, Darlington, MD

The action is sporadic and there was time to sit down or take a walking break after standing in one place for several hours. During this time, Tom and I met several people and made some new Facebook friends. Some not from this country. One thing for sure, there were several hundred thousand dollars in photography equipment along the river that day.

Photographers at Conowingo DamCell Phone Pic - Conowingo Dam, Susquehanna River, Darlington, MD

Another nice catch. I can tell you... it never gets boring!

Bald EagleConowingo Dam, Susquehanna River, Darlington, MD

With head down and nobody in pursuit, it's off to a perch to enjoy the meal.

Bald EagleConowingo Dam, Susquehanna River, Darlington, MD

One thing Tom and I discussed was the apparent respect, or tolerance, the eagles and vultures had for one another. They shared the river bank without aggression.

Bald EagleConowingo Dam, Susquehanna River, Darlington, MD

An eagle has better than perfect eyesight. Even while soaring in the sky, it can spot its prey from great distances. In case you missed it, I posted a photo blog in March, 2015, called "Eagle Eye". If you are interested in eagles, you may find it interesting.

Bald EagleConowingo Dam, Susquehanna River, Darlington, MD

We all know the Bald Eagle is the national bird of the United States of America. Do you know it is also our national animal? It's true.

Bald EagleConowingo Dam, Susquehanna River, Darlington, MD

Although I usually don't photograph birds flying above my head, the beauty of the Bald Eagle and its various wing positions makes it worth while to keep on clicking.

Bald EagleConowingo Dam, Susquehanna River, Darlington, MD

Seven feet of feathers never looked so beautiful!

Bald EagleConowingo Dam, Susquehanna River, Darlington, MD

Even though the sun began to fall behind the hills behind us we had a tough time pulling ourselves away to start the drive home. Looking back, we probably should have stayed through Sunday and suffered the consequences of fatigue at work on Monday. Facebook friends have indicated that the next day, Sunday, was one of the most active days this year.

The two days we had were great and Conowingo is an item that Tom and I can cross off of our bucket lists. I hope I was able to convey the great experience we had those two days in November. It is one I will never forget and hope to relive again next year.

Thanks for looking,

Dan

More Autumn Whitetail

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Wed, 18 Nov 2015 01:29:23 GMT

It's mid-November and the White-tailed Deer rut has been underway. I found many of the bucks in this photo blog following their doe through the woods but some have been walking alone. So far, I've seen two fights and wasn't able to photograph either one. The first one happened soon after the buck and his three doe walked up and over a hilltop. I could hear it and by the time I was in position where I could see both bodies, they broke apart and the loser ran off. The second fight wasn't really a dominance fight. It seems like they were playing more than fighting. However, it was getting very dark and I was heading back to my vehicle when I stumbled upon them. So, I just stood and watched.

I have been lucky in my quest to photograph these majestic animals. I hope you enjoy.

Here is a 10-point with a nice, symmetrical rack.

White-tailed Deer

I found this little doe out in the open eating acorns. She stared at me for a few minutes then started stomping her foot. I moved on so I didn't bother her feeding time any more than I already did.

White-tailed Deer

I had images of this buck in my last whitetail rut photo blog. Here is another pose that I want to share.

White-tailed Deer

This wide 6-point was hot on the trail of a doe. I'm glad he stopped to take a look at me.

White-tailed Deer

The next photo was a super long shot down into a valley. He didn't see me so I had to make a few noises so he would stop. Luckily, he stopped before going behind the tree because the woods became really thick on the other side.

White-tailed Deer

They can't all have big racks.

White-tailed Deer

Acorns have fallen from the mighty oaks so there is plenty of food in the woods right now. Here is a doe that was busy scraping through the oak leaves looking for acorns.

White-tailed Deer

This 3-point was standing next to an apple orchard. I was driving by just as he was beginning to walk into the woods. Luckily, I was able to take a few photos before he disappeared.

White-tailed Deer

Forests with heavy canopies are ideal for whitetail photography because undergrowth doesn't grow as thick. That situation is bad for the whitetail because they lack the browse to eat during the harsh winters.

White-tailed Deer

This guy has had some damage done to his antler.

White-tailed Deer

I never get tired of seeing these guys in the woods.

White-tailed Deer

This is the winner of one of the fights I mentioned at the beginning of this blog. He is still breathing heavily minutes after the other buck ran away.

White-tailed Deer

This doe looks small as she walks through the tall weeds at the edge of a meadow.

White-tailed Deer

This buck was at least 75 yards from me as it neared darkness. The Canon 5D MK III does a really nice job of lightening the scene but the iso was set very high and the shutter speed was at 1/25 of a second and I didn't have a tripod. A tree makes a wonderful support under these circumstances.

White-tailed Deer

This 8-point is probably the widest I've seen so far this year. The next three photos are of the same deer.

White-tailed Deer

It looks like there could be a ninth point on his left rack but I don't know if it would count. I believe they need to be one inch long to be counted.

White-tailed Deer

Seemingly unaware of my presence, he watches his does as they lie among the fallen logs on the hillside.

White-tailed Deer

After a little while, he began to descend the hillside, weaving around the fallen trees, to be with his small herd.

White-tailed Deer

This tall 4-point was walking through the woods but not straying far from a spike and three does.

White-tailed Deer

He found some fresh greens through the fallen leaves.

White-tailed Deer

Not large enough to be a threat, this spike was allowed to hang out with three does and the 4-point in the previous two photos.

White-tailed Deer

I'll end this blog with another look at a majestic 10-point that I found walking through the forest populated with wild cherry trees.

White-tailed Deer

I hope you enjoyed the images in this second White-tailed Deer photo blog this fall. I'm sure you'll see more whitetail photos dotted throughout my blogs but possibly not as many. Check back soon, or watch on Facebook, for my next blog about my recent trip to photograph Bald Eagles at Conowingo Dam in the lower Susquehanna River near Darlington, MD.

Thanks for looking,

Dan

Escaping the Gravity of Life

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Wed, 11 Nov 2015 00:03:26 GMT

Autumn is the perfect time to escape from it all and talk a walk in nature. It isn't hot and humid nor is it too cold. The insects of summer won't be circling your head nor will Jack Frost be nipping at your nose. The wildlife may get a little easier to see because of the fallen leaves and some birds will be more plentiful because of their migration path.

Before I continue with more photo blogs about the White-tailed Deer rut, I'd like to share more photos of our beautiful wildlife found during my time in the field.

Sometimes hawks are difficult to identify when they are young. One really needs to know their birds to be able to differentiate between a young bird or an adult of another species. Usually, Red-tailed Hawks are pretty easy to identify because of their red tail. The Red-tailed Hawk in the image below is a juvenile, therefore, it doesn't yet have a red tail.

Red-tailed HawkJuvenile

Although the Northern Waterthrush looks a lot like a thrush, it is actually a wood-warbler. Wood warblers are New World birds, distinct from the true warblers of the Old World. Usually, this bird would be found, if you can find one, on the shores of deciduous swamps or the swampy ground of coniferous bogs. In the spring and fall, when there aren't as many insects, you may find them in drier areas, in parks, backyard ponds, and trails. I found this Northern Waterthrush at the edge of a swamp in a tangle of shrubs this fall.

Northern Waterthrush

The Lincoln's Sparrow bears the name of Thomas Lincoln, a young companion of John J. Audubon on his voyage to Labrador, Canada. They breed in Canada and spend the winter in the southern United States and Mexico. They rarely sing during their migration stay in Pennsylvania.

Lincoln's Sparrow

I love the soft, feathered look of the Eastern Phoebe.

Eastern Phoebe

Pennsylvania is the northernmost range of the White-throated Sparrow's winter home. Most of their breeding ground is in Canada.

White-throated Sparrow

Sometimes, I'm being watched too. This little Red Squirrel waits patiently, in hiding, until I pass through.

Red Squirrel

Similar to the longer tailed, paler House Wren, is the Winter Wren. The Winter Wren is most identified by the short, upright tail.

Winter Wren

The Hermit Thrush is usually pretty difficult to find. Although the photo below isn't as good as some others I have of the Hermit Thrush, it does demonstrate how they can blend into their surroundings easily.

Hermit Thrush

Yellow-rumped Warblers flood our region (western Pennsylvania) in spring and fall. Their breeding range and winter range come very close together with most of western Pennsylvania being in their migration route, at least according to Cornell Lab of Ornithology's range map.

Yellow-rumped WarblerFemale

The Dark-eyed Junco breeds in the far north of Canada. They must like the cold weather as their wintering ground is most of the United States. I know winter is coming when I begin to see them flocking in our trees and feeding stations. Dark-eyed Junco

Fox Squirrel's, the larger cousin of the Gray Squirrel, are busy gathering acorns to cache for winter.

Eastern Fox Squirrel

The Ruby-crowned Kinglet is a fantastic little bird that is difficult to photograph. They don't sit still very long while jumping from branch to branch looking for insects. When on alert or excited, they will display a red patch on their crown.

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

I found this Carolina Wren, along with two others, on a cool, dark, autumn morning gathering some meaty morsels from under the leaves.

Carolina Wren

This Black-throated Green Warbler found his protein among the purple-blue fruit of the wild grape vine.

Black-throated Green Warbler

One Sunday morning my wife, Elena, and I headed north towards Pymatuning State Park. On our way, we decided to stop at Lake Wilhelm at Maurice K. Goddard State Park to see if the Bald Eagles are perched in what seems to be their favorite tree. Both adults were sitting high in the tree with the wind at their backs.

Bald Eagle

Later that day, at Pymatuning State Park, we saw several Bald Eagles flying around. Once in a while, one would circle close enough for a decent photo.

Bald Eagle

We visited the spillway area where the ducks walk on water. Actually, they walk on Carp. The fish are waiting anxiously to be fed bread by the 50 or so people visiting the spillway that day.

Pymatuning State ParkCarp

Of course, when people are throwing bread, you will find gulls. In this case, they were Ring-billed Gulls. Even though they are common, I still like to photograph them flying around.

Ring-billed Gull

Here is another Ring-billed Gull waiting for a piece of food to be thrown into the air.

Ring-billed Gull

And finally, back in the Butler area, an evening drive through Moraine State Park was filled with Canada Goose, more Ring-billed Gulls, and American Coot. Our lakes are filled with American Coot in the spring and fall. This one was part of a large flock feeding in shallow water at Moraine State Park's Lake Arthur, during sunset.

American Coot

I can honestly tell you that all the experiences I included in this photo blog was relaxing, exciting, and peaceful at the same time. I hope, no matter where you live, you too can get out, escape the gravity of life, and appreciate the wildlife around you. I sure will.

Check back soon as I get back to sharing some White-tailed Deer rut photographs.

Thanks for looking,

Dan

October Whitetail

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Tue, 03 Nov 2015 22:27:08 GMT

Late October brings us many things here in western Pennsylvania. Our evenings, and some days, are showing us a hint of the season that is just around the corner, the colorful landscape we enjoyed for the last month has disappeared except for the orange-brown oak trees that are the last to turn, and the rut of the White-tailed Deer begins.

I spend a lot of time in September photographing the rut of the American Elk but, in recent years, I haven't spent much time photographing White-tailed Deer. I think accessibility is a major factor in that decision. This year, I wanted to make a real effort to photograph our White-tailed Deer and hopefully some rut activity.

What is the rut? In short, The "Rut" refers to the time period each fall when deer breeding occurs. Each fall? That's a span of three months. When exactly is the rut? From 2000 to 2007 the PA Game Commission did a study on springtime road killed does to find out when they were bred. 6,000 does were examined and nine out of ten of them were bred in mid-October to mid-December. When asked when the rut occurs in Pennsylvania, the answer is mid-November.

This photo blog is the beginning of what I hope will be two or three more documenting the rut. The following photos were all made in late October and contains a mixture of deer from big bucks to little bucks to does and this year's fawns. Deer are most active in early morning and evening. Therefore, most of these images were made during the last hour or so before sunset requiring higher camera iso settings and ultimately resulting in slower shutter speeds. Because of that, I used the Canon 5D Mark III most of the time. The other camera I carried was a Canon 7D Mark II. I hope you enjoy.

White-tailed Deer

Here is a little four point wary of who is behind him. Of course, it's me, so he's safe!

White-tailed Deer

I cannot pass up the opportunity to photograph a portrait of a beautiful doe.

White-tailed Deer

Typically, only bucks more than one year old get antlers. I believe this is a first year male. I guess you can't really call those bumps antlers, can you? White-tailed Deer

This six point had his eye on something more interesting than me. I wish he would have looked at me. Those antlers look like they almost touch in the middle.

White-tailed Deer

I think the big ones are big because they've experienced, and avoided, danger. The eight point in the photo below was hiding in the trees. I see a lot of opportunities to get this type of photo and I usually take them and then delete them. This one was a keeper because you can see both eyes.

White-tailed Deer

Occasionally, a big buck like the one in the next photo will pause in the open forest for a minute or two. Notice the thickness of his neck. A buck's neck can swell 50% during the rut. It is believed to be caused by an increased level of testosterone. Aggressive behavior is also a byproduct of the increased testosterone.

White-tailed Deer

It's hard to tell why this buck only has one antler. The animal could have broken one side off, has a genetic mutation, or it could even be from an injury when younger. I think he believes he's protected by the branches between us.

White-tailed Deer

This doe was on high alert and sniffing the air as I watched her. She is a larger, older doe so I was watching her feed in a meadow in hopes that a buck would pursue her.

White-tailed Deer

This ten point was being very cautious after spotting me.

White-tailed Deer

Although he is not displaying an upright white tail, he wasn't going to stick around to find out what I was doing.

White-tailed Deer

This little beauty was feeding on acorns when I found her. I couldn't resist this portrait.

White-tailed Deer

Although the highlight of deer watching in the fall is to find a big buck with a lot of points. To a wildlife photographer, like me, who simply loves nature and wildlife, I'm happy with a beautiful background and a cooperative animal. I found this doe walking a ridge above a valley.

White-tailed Deer

Next year he'll be a little bigger.

White-tailed Deer

I found the ten point in the next two photos on the trail of a hot doe. As long as she didn't flee, neither did he. He gave me some wonderful images but I'm still lacking the desirable lip curl images.

White-tailed Deer

Deer will stomp their feet when they believe danger is in the area. They do it to warn other deer of trouble or to warn the intruder and try to get "the intruder" to move. It is believed that a stomp puts a warning scent on the ground for other deer.

White-tailed Deer

I hoped you enjoyed the White-tailed Deer images in this photo blog. Check back soon for more as the rut continues into November.

Thanks for looking,

Dan

Crabapples and Water - An Autumn Treat

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Thu, 29 Oct 2015 23:51:44 GMT

Other than visual pleasure, it's hard to imagine how much enjoyment the fruit of these spring flowers will bring in autumn. Although this particular crabapple tree isn't a Pennsylvania native, it is one of a species that is native to the northeastern United States. When I planted this tree 19 years ago, I specifically picked it for the size of its fruit. "It will provide food for birds and many other animals", I said. In 19 years, it has fed birds, Opossum, Turkey, Rabbits, and White-tailed Deer for sure. Who knows what else in the middle of the night.

As the blossoms turn into little green pea sized fruit and then into the red berry size crabapples you see in the photo below, the wildlife seem to know when it's ready to eat. Each October I am treated to a large amount of birds devouring each and every one of the crabapples. I see some occasional diners at my tree like Cardinals and Jays but the American Robin and Cedar Waxwings take a special interest.

A Cedar Waxwing takes a break from limb hopping and "berry" picking.

Cedar Waxwing

Not a quick as a waxwing, the American Robin still gets their share of the bitter, juicy fruit.

American Robin

Cedar Waxwings are known to play with their fruit. Two birds will toss a fruit back and forth between themselves or, more commonly, one bird will toss its fruit into the air and catch it several times.

Cedar Waxwing

When ready, the waxwing swallows the fruit whole.

Cedar Waxwing

Because of the silky texture of the waxwing's feathers, I usually don't like to photograph them in bright sunlight. But, if you get the right angle, the sun can bring out details in their face that are sometimes missed.

Cedar Waxwing

This waxwing has come back for seconds.

Cedar Waxwing

Even the juvenile Cedar Waxwings have been taught to find food for themselves.

Cedar Waxwing

Another feature in my yard is a fish pond and waterfall that attracts a lot of wildlife. The pond is about 10 X 12 X 3 with a double waterfall with two large landings where the water runs shallow. The sound of running water is pleasing to the ears but what I like the most is to watch the wildlife that uses my pond in their efforts of survival.

Below is a Blue Jay perched on a rock above the waterfall.

Blue Jay

It didn't take it long to jump in and get a drink. Interestingly, all birds in Pennsylvania, except one, drink water by filling its beak and lifting its head to swallow the water. The Mourning Dove is the only bird that can drink by sucking it through it's beak like a straw.

Blue Jay

The shallow landings between waterfalls provide perfect areas to bathe. The American Robin is probably my most frequent customer.

American Robin

One dreary morning, the crabapple tree was filled with waxwings and robins. Many fruits were being eaten and subsequently, the birds needed to wash it down. Here is a Cedar Waxwing moving in to have a drink.

Cedar Waxwing

That morning, I had as many as 25 waxwings flying in and out of the pond. Low shutter speeds prevented me to get exceptional flight photos. Below is a photo of waxwings drinking with a few more waiting their turn.

Cedar Waxwing

I will end this photo blog with a video compilation of birds in the crab apple tree and in the pond. I hope you enjoy the views as you listen to the sound of running water.

Cedar Waxwing Cedar Waxwing

Thanks for looking,

Dan

Good Bye Summer - Hello Autumn

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Wed, 21 Oct 2015 01:38:49 GMT

Autumn has returned and you can't miss it. The days are getting shorter, the weather is turning cooler, and the leaves on the trees are turning bright hues of red, orange, and yellow. One of the nice things about living in Pennsylvania is we don't have to travel very far for fantastic leaf viewing. No matter where you live in this state you are within a few hours of flat lands, rolling hills, or the steep mountains of the Allegheny and other state forests. Each one offers its own visual pleasure.

This photo blog contains a mix of photos from landscape to wildlife. I enjoyed the time I spent traveling with my wife, Elena, and want to share our experiences with you. It is photo heavy so sit back, relax, and enjoy autumn in Pennsylvania. If you make it to the end, you'll be treated with a minute of soothing waterfall video from Hell's Hollow in McConnells Mill State Park.

The Eastern Chipmunk are scurrying around collecting large amounts of acorns and nuts to store in their winter cache. Their burrow can be 10 feet long with several cavities to build their cache. Also in the burrow is a room lined with leaves to serve as its nest. Chipmunks hibernate during the winter but do wake every couple weeks to eat from their cache.

Eastern Chipmunk

Elk County, Pennsylvania is one of our favorite places to go but is more special in the fall. Besides the elk rut, the autumn colors that cover the landscape are breathtaking. Below is a scene from along the Bennett Branch of Sinnemahoning Creek in Medix Run, PA.

Bennet Branch of Sinnemahoning Creek

Some warblers can still be seen in the area but, as temperatures turn cooler, they will hop the currents and continue their journey south. Here is a look at a pretty female Common Yellowthroat. She could be the last one I see in 2015.

Common YellowthroatFemale

The Moshannon State Forest covers a whopping 190,031 acres on the Allegheny Plateau. Contained within her boarders, is the 917 acre Marion Brooks Natural Area, known for its large stand of White Birch trees. We were there after autumn color peaked but the scenery was still beautiful.

Fall colorsMarion E Brooks Natural Area in Moshannon State Forest

It is unusual to photograph a White-breasted Nuthatch in an upright, perched position. Usually, they are upside down on the side of a tree. The pose is what makes this photograph unique.

White-breasted Nuthatch

The Philadelphia Vireo, a songbird of the woodlands, breeds in Canada and winters in Central America. I happened to photograph this one during migration. Philadelphia Vireo

Below is another scene from our drive into the Moshannon State Forest.

Fall colorsMarion E Brooks Natural Area in Moshannon State Forest

Once again, while in Benezette, we headed East on Route 555 to the Bucktail Overlook near Driftwood. We never get tired of this scenery.

Bucktail OverlookNear Driftwood, PA

Any direction you look from the Bucktail Overlook, offers something different. This Northwest vista gave us a sea of yellow.

Bucktail OverlookNear Driftwood, PA

The Hooded Warbler is one of the warblers whose plumage doesn't change very much from spring to fall. Even this late in the year, this male's black hood and yellow face stand out.

Hooded WarblerMale

It doesn't take long for them to come and go but while the Yellow-rumped Warbler is migrating through, they seem to be everywhere. Most migration charts show the Yellow-rumped Warbler will breed in parts of Pennsylvania. Western and southern PA however, seem to be only an area of migration.

Yellow-rumped Warbler

In a scene very different from my blog "A Day Of Photography In Elk Country", this field no longer hosts the excitement and tension of a bugling elk guarding his harem. In this autumn scene, it takes on a peacefulness that causes a calmness to take over your mind and body.

Fall colorsFrom Hick's Run elk viewing area

By mid October, the American Elk rut is over but if you go to Benezette, you can still hear some bulls bugling and see an occasional sparring match with no intent to show dominance. After dinner at the Benezett Store Restaurant, we visited the fields behind the Elk Country Visitor's Center on Winslow Hill. The Visitor's Center's fields have been a hot spot during the rut this year and continues to attract a large number of cows, calves and a few bulls.

PA Elk (Oct, 2015)Benezette, PA - Behind Elk Country Visitor's Center

Some elk cow go into a second estrus cycle so breeding can still take place well into October. Most bulls, including the one we found on Winslow Hill, continue to chase hot cows.

PA Elk (Oct, 2015)Benezette, PA - Behind Elk Country Visitor's Center

As I said earlier, even though the fierce fighting is over, you can still hear an occasional bugle echoing through the hills. The red-orange glow of the setting sun highlights this elk's rack and mane.

PA Elk (Oct, 2015)Benezette, PA - Behind Elk Country Visitor's Center

Elk country sunsets, which can be viewed from many locations, are a perfect way to end a day. See the beauty of a bull, and two of his grazing cows, basking in the final minutes of the day's sun.

PA Elk (Oct, 2015)Benezette, PA - Behind Elk Country Visitor's Center

Back home, in Butler County, PA, our colors peaked a week later than in the mountains of Elk County, PA. Lake Arthur, in Moraine State Park, is where I spend a lot of time photographing wildlife, especially birds. On this day, I was looking for leaf color. This picnic area is positioned slightly above the lake providing golden views. Lake Arthur, Moraine State ParkPortersville, PA

The sweet song of the Eastern Towhee is seldom heard this time of year. The female, seen in the photo below, is perched on the branches of a crabapple tree.

Eastern TowheeFemale

Another warbler on its way south. The Black-throated Green Warbler may spend the summer and breed in Pennsylvania but the winter is too cold. Central America is their preferred winter ground.

Black-throated Green WarblerFemale (fall)

Lake Arthur is a 3,225 acre lake nestled in the rolling hills of western Pennsylvania.

Lake Arthur, Moraine State ParkPortersville, PA

McConnells Mill State Park, a national natural landmark, encompasses 2,546 acres of Slippery Rock Creek Gorge. The gorge was created thousands of years ago by the draining of glacial lakes. It has steep sides and the flood waters left behind giant boulders throughout the park. A grist mill, built in the 1800's, still stands today. Below is the dammed up area of Slippery Rock Creek that made the grist mill operational. The grist mill is out of the photo to the right. McConnells MillMcConnells Mill State Park, Portersville, PA

Above the gorge and outside of the park, sits this cabin. Perhaps I should have brushed up on my history a little better before writing this blog because I don't know anything about this cabin. I liked the way it looked surrounded by the autumn colors. Cabin in the WoodsNear McConnells Mill State Park, Portersville, PA

Our next stop in McConnells Mill State Park was Hells Hollow. After starting down the trail, we were faced with a decision. Well, it wasn't that hard of a decision because we went to Hells Hollow solely to visit the waterfall. It's just a coincidence that it was the shortest and easiest hike. I would like to point out that these hiking trails aren't for the faint of heart. They can be very rocky and steep. Just sayin'!

Hells Hollow Directional SignMcConnells Mill State Park

Here is a shallow creek bed, engulfed in golden, fall colors, leading to the falls.

Hells HollowMcConnells Mill State Park, Portersville, PA

You can see in the next photo how thousands of years of flowing water can erode sandstone right down to the harder layers of rock that doesn't erode as easily.

Hells HollowMcConnells Mill State Park, Portersville, PA

At the end of the Hells Hollow Trail is the waterfall. Once again, the sandstone eroded away leaving the harder bedrock that created the falls. In the top right of the next photograph you can see where the forest floor once was.

Hells Hollow WaterfallMcConnells Mill State Park, Portersville, PA

Here is another view of the falls showing the smaller waterfalls upstream.

Hells Hollow WaterfallMcConnells Mill State Park, Portersville, PA

As I promised, if you are still with me, you can now sit back and enjoy the soothing effect of Hells Hollow's waterfall. Click on the icon to play video. Hell's Hollow Waterfall Hell's Hollow Waterfall

High above the falls is the work of thousands of years of erosion. I wonder how many Native Americans stood on that very spot to get out of the weather.

Hells HollowMcConnells Mill State Park, Portersville, PA

The American Elk rut has come to an end but the rut of the White-tailed Deer will be happening in November. Below is a high 8-point looking sharp in his winter coat. By the way, I asked him to move a little to the side to get that dead limb out of the photo. As you can see, he didn't listen. Actually, he moved rather quickly the other way and out of sight.

White-tailed Deer

One of the many things in nature I can count on is a large flock of Cedar Waxwings invading my crabapple trees in October. As a wildlife photographer, it is fun to try to capture these little birds playing with their food. Sometimes, two birds will toss the fruit back and forth between each other. Mostly, however, one bird will toss the fruit in the air a couple times before swallowing it whole.

Cedar Waxwing

Well, that's it for now. I hope you enjoyed this autumn themed photo blog. We still have some exciting times coming before January and February's weather cause a little downtime for wildlife photography. So keep checking back to see what I've been seeing.

Thanks for looking,

Dan

2015 Elk Rut Comes to a Close

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Thu, 08 Oct 2015 01:38:23 GMT

The American Elk rut; I hate to see it end. Well, not really! A day photographing the elk rut and other wildlife in the area can be tiring. Combining a full-time job and trying to fulfill the inner desire to photograph nature at its best, can wear a person out. So, when the second week of October rolls around and bull elk begin to feed together in the same field and not attack each other, I'm a little bit sad but a little bit glad too.

The photographs and stories in the photo blog entry were made in the very end of September and early October. I hope you enjoy sharing my experiences.

A friend of mine, Bob Davis, and I decided we'd skip the early morning rain and fog and arrive in Elk County after 9 a.m. We first visited lower Dewey Road to find a large herd of elk cow and calves on the hillside being held together by one bull. After dressing up my Canon 5D MK III and 600mm lens with a rain cover, I immediately began photographing this large bull. You never know when they will leave the meadow and be gone for the day. Look closely to see the rain soaked coat of this impressive bull as he lowers his head to chase an elk cow.

PA Elk (Sept, 2015)Elk County
Benezette, PA

It was a large meadow that extended over a hill and several cow elk ventured over the edge about 50 yards away. That was too far for our 7X8 and he began herding them together again.

PA Elk (Sept, 2015)Elk County

Benezette, PA

Of course, some cows were unaffected by his charging as they lay obedient in the field near him.

PA Elk (Sept, 2015)Elk County

Benezette, PA

Even the calves were at ease. This little calf, still showing its spots, pauses during grooming to make sure I'm keeping my distance.

PA Elk (Sept, 2015)Elk County

Benezette, PA

I want to remind everyone that although it looks like I am very close to the elk, it is not what it seems. You wouldn't catch me standing in front of a bull charging up on a hot cow.

PA Elk (Sept, 2015)Elk County

Benezette, PA

My favorite elk poses are when he is bugling or when he lowers his head right before pursuing a cow in estrus.

PA Elk (Sept, 2015)Elk County

Benezette, PA

While all this was going on Bob and I got to chat with photographer friends Willard Hill, and Buckwheat. I also finally got to meet other wildlife photographers that I feel like I've known for a long time from sharing photos and stories in our Facebook groups. It was nice to meet Odie Swartz, Coy Hill, and Charlie Cropp. Oh, I hope I didn't miss anyone. My apologies if I did.

After all the running around chasing cows, our bull decided to take a rest.

PA Elk (Sept, 2015)Elk County

Benezette, PA

While the activity was low, most of us left to check out some other possible elk activity in adjacent fields. After about 45 minutes Bob and I returned. There was a smaller bull coming over the hillside but we could tell, and he probably could too, that he was no match for our big 7X8.

PA Elk (Sept, 2015)Elk County

Benezette, PA

Without even getting excited enough to stand up, the big guy bellowed a deep bugle just to keep the smaller guy at a distance.

PA Elk (Sept, 2015)Elk County

Benezette, PA

As lunchtime approached, Bob and I had lunch at our favorite local spot, the Benezette Hotel, and then did a little sightseeing around the Elk State Forest.

In late afternoon, we planned on spending time behind the visitors center. But first, I needed to check out lower Dewey Road again to see if our 7X8 was getting any larger competition. We found him still patrolling the meadow doing what bulls do during the rut.

PA Elk (Sept, 2015)Elk County

Benezette, PA

When you see a bull with his head down rubbing his antlers into the grass and dirt, he is most likely urinating on his belly and lower neck. The urine gives them a distinct smell that attracts cows. When they lift their head you sometimes get a sight like this.

PA Elk (Sept, 2015)Elk County

Benezette, PA

No challengers were in sight so I clicked one more photograph as he stood proudly on the top of the hill, then we left for the visitors center.

PA Elk (Sept, 2015)Elk County

Benezette, PA

The visitors center has been a hot spot for action during this years' rut. Of the few times I went there, most of the activity was in the far fields which isn't really what I like to photograph. This one bull did rub his antlers in a spruce tree in the center of the field. If you look closely at the bull elk's rack, you will notice the main shafts are darker than the tines. The darkness comes from the bull rubbing them in vegetation as the oils and liquids of the plants darken the rack.

PA Elk (Sept, 2015)Elk County

Benezette, PA

PA Elk (Aug 2015)

Does anyone remember this big bull I photographed in August? I was wondering where he would show up during the rut this year.

I didn't see him in the saddle like I thought I would. I started to spend more time watching other fields and of all the big bulls around, I still didn't see this guy. He is most recognizable by his injured lip and impressive rack.

Finally, as the rut neared its end, I found him. He was as big as I remember and looked like he added a lot of mass to the chest and neck area.

The sun had sunk below the Pennsylvania mountains and photography was getting tough. We were preparing for our drive home when I asked Bob if he minded if I checked out one more spot. I was glad we did. Although we didn't see any fights we did get to watch the "summer bull" defend his meadow.

PA Elk (Sept, 2015)Elk County

Benezette, PA

The impressiveness of this rack and bugle was all the defense he needed today. He kept two other bulls 100 yards away.

PA Elk (Sept, 2015)Elk County

Benezette, PA

Only four days later, my wife and I returned to Benezette for the evening. We met up with our friends Tom and Jeanne Dorsey and "shot the bull", no pun intended, for awhile before parting ways.

Rut activity was slow but there was bugling behind the visitor's center so that is where Elena and I headed. While most of the action was far over the hill we did have one bull and several cows and calves fairly close. They were strategically positioned behind a large grouping of trees and were hard to see. As the sun began to set, I caught this tender moment between an elk cow and her calf.

PA Elk (Oct, 2015)Elk County

Benezette, PA

One last look. That's all it took as darkness came upon us. Our bull, who has been keeping trees between himself and the people most of the evening, finally came out and gave a good pose. The soft lighting added serenity to the final days of the rut.

PA Elk (Oct, 2015)Elk County

Benezette, PA

I hope you enjoyed the photos and stories I've shared. If it isn't possible for you to be able to see the beauty of our Pennsylvania landscape and wildlife during this exciting time of the year, I hope my photography and stories took you there.

Those of you that do venture into Elk Country, I'll see you in the field!

Thanks for looking,

Dan

A Day of Photography in Elk Country

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Sat, 03 Oct 2015 14:06:59 GMT

September 23rd was going to be a good day. My wife and I spent two days in Elk County, Pennsylvania less than a week prior to this and warm weather made for poor elk viewing. You can read about that experience in my blog "Days To Remember In Elk Country". Within a week, I began to hear stories of a few bull fights and sightings of some the older, well known bulls that have roamed the mountains of north central Pennsylvania for many years. It was time to go back.

Since I have a two hour 20 minute drive, I need to leave pretty early in the morning to get there at daybreak. So on this day I pulled out of the driveway at 4:30 in the morning and immediately ran into thick fog. It's always foggy in the Benezette area but I know I'm in trouble when I have fog in Butler County too.

I arrived on Winslow Hill at 7 a.m. and began to listen for bugles. I didn't hear much but soon saw a small herd of elk cows held together by one bull. There were several people already there so I stood among them and made some images of the bull and his harem. When a bull feels that some of his cows are roaming a little too far away, he puts his head down like he's charging the cow but he will run a large circle around her to keep her where he wants her. Occasionally, I've seen a little nudging with his antlers too. In the next photo, the bull is racing up the hill to let the cow know she is "out of bounds".

PA Elk (Sept, 2015)

I said there were several people on the hillside and talented, Facebook friend, Dave Bowser was one of them. We finally got to meet in person and I look forward to having a longer conversation next time. I also met up with a group of Wisconsin residents that I've met on Facebook and shared photography stories with over the last couple years. They were visiting for a week to photograph elk and the beautiful Pennsylvania countryside.

As the fog began to lift on the hill, I was able to get a more detailed photo of the bull elk.

PA Elk (Sept, 2015)

My next stop was the fields behind the Elk County Visitor's Center. The fog was still very heavy in that area and there were a few bugles in the distance. The highlight of the visitor's center fields was a lone Wild turkey making its way deeper into the fog.

Wild TurkeyMale

As I was leaving the viewing area I met up with another fellow photographer, Jake Dingel. Jake and I have photographed birds together this summer and we decided to spend the next several hours looking for wildlife.

As the morning wore on, the elk disappeared into the woods. I've seen a lot of people driving around the Benezette area looking in the woods for elk bedding down. The elk prefer to be underneath the cool canopy of a deciduous forest or large evergreens, such as, an Eastern Hemlock. The bull in the next photo was laying down accompanied by three elk cows.

PA Elk (Sept, 2015)

As we were driving to a location where Jake has had luck photographing birds, we found this small bull and one cow laying down in the comfort of someone's backyard.

PA Elk (Sept, 2015)

The Elk State Forest is a beautiful place to drive through. There are also great places to photograph birds. We drove up Hick's Run Road to see what kind of migrating and resident birds were in the area. We were able to find and photograph a Blue-headed Vireo. The bright sun and dark background really caused contrast issues for me. I overexposed the scene while being careful to not blow out the highlights of the photograph. Overall, the image could be better but it still shows the beauty of this little vireo.

Blue-headed Vireo

Another bird we were able to photograph is a Northern Parula. This bird is absolutely beautiful in the spring but it still had many of its colors for easy identification. The Northern Parula will end up in Central America when it completes its migration.

Northern Parula

Today was also the first time I ever photographed a Common Raven. Unfortunately, it wasn't wild. Note the jesses on its legs. Apparently, this raven escaped from someone and hopefully finds its way back.

Common Raven

This raven, with its jet black feathers, was a treat to watch.

Common Raven

After lunch and a visit with another photographer friend, Willard Hill, Jake and I parted ways and prepared to photograph the elk when they came back out of the woods in the evening.

It was a warm afternoon and the sun was shining brightly so the elk didn't enter the meadows until later that evening. I sat and watched a forest edge and meadow for three hours, hoping I didn't miss anything. Finally, a couple elk cow and their calves began to exit the woods. The next photo is an elk calf running down the hill to be with its mother.

PA Elk (Sept, 2015)

Over the years, I've made plenty of the basic photos of elk standing in the fields. Still, you need to remain alert for whenever they do something unusual. I don't know what this elk cow was looking at but she was practically bending over backwards.

PA Elk (Sept, 2015)

After about 12 to 15 cows and calves entered the meadow, their bull followed. He trotted down the hill looking like the "man in charge".

PA Elk (Sept, 2015)

I don't know it this is typical but, in my observations, a bull elk will stop and sniff the wind when it enters a clearing. I've seen White-tailed Deer do that, too. Are they sniffing for the scent of a cow or for the presence of another bull?

PA Elk (Sept, 2015)

I love to photograph the pose when they are holding their head high into the wind.

PA Elk (Sept, 2015)

I wanted to share this photo that shows the great width of his rack.

PA Elk (Sept, 2015)

Occasionally, another bull would stand at the edge of the forest to survey the situation with the cows in the field.

PA Elk (Sept, 2015)

Of course, all the large 7X7 bull needed to do was stare him down for a minute and the other would turn and walk back into the woods. He would finish with a regal, bugle.

PA Elk (Sept, 2015)

While the elk occupied one side of the meadow, White-tailed Deer began to use the other side.

White-tailed Deer

With the threatening bulls out of the way, the 7X7 headed back to his harem demonstrating some aggression as he herded them together.

PA Elk (Sept, 2015)

There were many young elk calves with this group. They tend to stay close to mom when the big guy bugles.

PA Elk (Sept, 2015)

The last few photos you viewed were made as it was getting very dark. The sun had already dipped behind the adjacent mountain bringing on darkness earlier than normal. Finally, it was time for me to pack up my gear and head home and end my 18 hour day.

I have been there again since the trip you just read about. Check back soon for another day in elk country.

Thanks for looking,

Dan

An Animals Eyes Have The Power to Speak a Great Language -- Martin Buber

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Wed, 30 Sep 2015 02:56:55 GMT

It seems like it was yesterday and I was writing a blog about the end of August. Here it is the end of September and I, once again, have many wildlife photographs I'd like to share.

I was struggling with a title to this photo blog because it holds a mixture of images that don't support a theme. So, after adding all the images to the blog I began to look at them. I realized that in almost all of them, the viewer can see life in the eyes of the subject. My ability to come up with a meaningful quote isn't very good so I searched the internet for a quote about the eyes of wildlife. I found a quote by Martin Buber and used it as my title. What does it mean? The animal's eyes are the window to its soul and tells a story without a language barrier.

One morning, I was finished working an area of the woods in search of fall migratory birds. Just as I was getting in my car, I saw this little fawn standing along the woods line. I already had my camera off the tripod and laying on the passenger seat so I slowly reached in and grabbed my camera and, supporting it on a beanbag through the car window, I made some photographs.

White-tailed Deer

As I waited for an interesting pose from the fawn, it began to walk right towards me. I switched to video and made a short video clip. After it began to get too close, I decided to stop recording and scare it away. It is living in an area open to hunting so it needs to have fear of humans in order to survive. Click on the video clip to watch the curiosity of the little fawn.

White-tailed Deer White-tailed Deer

Fall migration has provided some nice opportunities to see warblers and other birds on the way to their winter grounds. Below is a Blackburnian Warbler framed in the branches.

Blackburnian WarblerMale (fall)

The Black-capped Chickadee is a very common bird year round but especially in late summer to late spring. They frequent our feeding stations and some people get them to land on their fingers for a treat.

Black-capped Chickadee

Many of the photographs I post are images I intended to make. However, sometimes I am quite surprised about what I see. One day, while watching a forest edge for migrating birds, this female Cooper's Hawk flew to this perch and sat for about five minutes before moving on.

Cooper's HawkFemale

The American Redstart flashes its tail while it forages for food. It it believed that they do that to startle hidden insects. The image below is a female American Redstart.

American RedstartFemale

The Carolina Wren, also known as the "Mocking Wren", imitates the call of other birds.

Carolina Wren

I found this Juvenile Broad-winged Hawk while driving a wooded, country road. An adult has a heavily barred, light brown chest. One of the identifying marks of a juvenile is the "teardrop" shaped streaks on its white chest.

Broad-winged HawkJuvenile

Here is another photo of the Broad-winged Hawk as it peers at me while sitting comfortably on one leg.

Broad-winged HawkJuvenile

One thing special about fall photography is finding birds in trees and shrubs covered in fruit. Below is a male Common Yellowthroat sitting in a Hawthorn bush.

Common YellowthroatMale

The elusive Ovenbird. I've seen quite a few this year and am always happy to see another. This portrait is one of my favorites.

Ovenbird

The Magnolia Warbler was originally called the "Black-and-yellow Warbler" and "Magnolia" was its Latin species name. Over time, Magnolia became its common name.

Magnolia WarblerMale

Here is a nice view of the white patches on their tail feathers used to help discourage predators.

Magnolia WarblerMale

The next photo is a female Black and white Warbler. This is a tough bird to photograph as they constantly circle trees in search of insects. Most of the time, a nice pose is hard to get as they are always on the move and looking at the tree trunk. I was lucky to have this little warbler pose for me.

Black-and-white WarblerFemale

The Tennessee Warbler's favorite diet is the spruce budworm. The population of this species fluctuates with the populations of the budworm.

Tennessee Warbler

The juvenile Indigo Bunting is similar in color to an adult female. Most males have already began migration to their winter homes and the females and juveniles will follow.

Indigo BuntingJuvenile

It was a dark, overcast, day when I made the next photo. These two young Common Yellowthroats were having a quarrel. The one on the left took flight and hovered above the other one in an aggressive fashion. A slow shutter speed prevented me from recording that action.

Common Yellowthroat

This female Northern Flicker was one of seven foraging around one of the perennial beds in my yard. Although they are a woodpecker, the Northern Flicker is usually found digging in the ground for ants and beetles. Note the soil and grass on her beak.

Northern FlilckerFemale

I hope you enjoyed the photos in this blog post. Check back soon for a continuation of photographs of the elk rut.

Thanks for looking,

Dan

Days to Remember in Elk Country

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Tue, 22 Sep 2015 02:29:05 GMT

It's mid-September and the elk rut is usually at its peak. This year, however, the rut action has been a little slow on Winslow Hill, usually the center of rut activity. Unusually warm weather has been the blame for keeping the elk in the woods until after the sun goes down. My wife and I had a two day trip planned for a long time. We had a hotel room booked in the nearby town of St. Mary's and vacation days already scheduled so we were going to make the best of the trip. Incidentally, in the same week last year, the rut activity was very high and we were there to witness the action. Within a few days of returning home, I created the blog "An Evening With Limpy - A Pennsylvania Elk". We didn't know for sure but this year was destined to be different.

The morning of September 17th started out normal; just like we were going to work. Elena and I got up at 6 AM and prepared ourselves to go. We had noon lunch plans with a wildlife photographer friend and his wife, Tom and Jeanne Dorsey, so we could take our time getting to St. Mary's. As we left the house, I mentioned a spot we were going to pass by in State Game Lands 095 that I would like to attempt to photograph some migrating birds. Elena, being the sport she is, sat patiently texting her family while I watched the bushes. During the 1/2 hour we were there, I was lucky to photograph this Philadelphia Vireo.

Philadelphia Vireo

There were several other common birds flitting around but my other highlight was this Yellow-throated Vireo. Although he can be a yearlong resident, I don't see them very often.

Yellow-throated Vireo

Enough is enough and we needed to get going.

After checking in and having lunch, we traveled the last 18 miles into Benezette, the heart of the Pennsylvania elk herd. We stopped at a few gift shops and the Benezette Wines winery in town and simply killed time until evening was upon us. The hills, normally echoing the sounds of bugling elk, were still quiet as temperatures remained just shy of 80 degrees.

It was 3:00 in the afternoon and we decided to follow an old trail into the woods where I've had luck, in the past, finding elk bedded down during mid-day. While hiking in, we heard two bulls bugling way down in the valley. I knew the location the sound was coming from so we hiked back to the car and drove, following the bugles. We finally reached an area, near a small clearing, that the bugling was loudest. We hiked into the clearing until I could hear the thrashing of antlers against small trees. I set up my tripod and decided I was going to wait until he came out of the woods. I could see the tops of the 10 foot trees waving back and forth as if a hurricane was going through. As he continued to answer a distant bull, he began to wander away from us. The end.

Later that evening, Elena and I did a lot of walking in the area known as "the saddle" hoping to find at least one bull. As darkness fell, we decided to call it a night and head back to our hotel room. As we drove down Winslow Hill, we came upon several headlights and red taillights shining on the road ahead. Sure enough, one lone bull elk was walking through a field. Pausing occasionally, he would bugle, only to be answered by one other far away bull. With the barrel of my 600mm lens resting on my car door, I made a few photographs while he was still. I didn't think any would be in focus but I was lucky to capture this image during a bugle.

PA Elk (Sept, 2015)

The next morning, we woke up early enough to be in Benezette before daybreak. Even the hotel's continental breakfast wasn't ready yet. We stopped at the local GetGo convenience store for a breakfast sandwich and coffee.

The morning continued on and, as far as viewing elk, it was less productive than the night before. As usual, a thick fog blanketed the area and even though it was going to be another very warm day, the morning temperature lingered in the 50's. The fog didn't affect us this morning because we couldn't hear any bugling anyway. As 9:00 neared, and fog lingered, I suggested we travel down Route 555, toward the town of Driftwood, and visit Bucktail Overlook, also known as the "Top of the World". It's only about an eight mile drive through a very scenic area of Pennsylvania. Once we found Mason Hill Road, we turned left and started up the mountain. I'm going to estimate the road from the bottom to the top is about two miles. About half way up the mountain we drove through the raising fog. As we drove a little further, we climbed above the fog and saw the first sunlight of the young day.

See the steep hillside to the left? It was just as steep going down to the right.

Elk State ForestMason Hill Road on the way up to the Bucktail Overlook (Driftwood, PA)

Along the way I saw a little bramble of bushes and wild grape vines so I asked Elena if she minded if I stopped and watched for birds for a little while. She didn't mind. "We have all day", she said. Soon, I spotted a little yellow bird jumping around and was able to photograph this Magnolia Warbler in its fall plumage.

Magnolia WarblerMale in fall plumage

We've been to the "Top of the World" several times and we're always amazed with the scenic beauty. The fog, still trapped in the valleys, made it look like we were in an airplane. I created this northward panoramic vista using three images.

Bucktail Overlook"Top Of The World" near Driftwood, PA

Since we were the only people up there, we had to take a selfie to prove we really were there.

Bucktail Overlook"Top Of The World" near Driftwood, PA

Here is another photo of the beautiful vista.

Bucktail Overlook"Top Of The World" near Driftwood, PA

Time to head back down the mountain. On our way down, we came upon a covey of our state bird, the Ruffed Grouse. If you've ever walked up on a Ruffed Grouse in the woods, they can scare the pants off of you with their thunderous wing beats as they lift off. Needless to say, I was excited to find a few before they were startled.

Ruffed Grouse

After reaching the bottom and heading towards Benezette, we decided to take a detour on more bumpy roads through the Elk State Forest. It is in deep, dark forests like this where you can find elk during the day. We came upon these elk cows and calves.

PA Elk (Sept, 2015)

This little calf looks comfortable in its leafy bed.

PA Elk (Sept, 2015)Elk calve

The other elk calf was so sleepy it could barely hold its eyes open.

PA Elk (Sept, 2015)Elk calve

The Facebook group "Benezette Elk Camera Club" was having their fall picnic the next day so quite a few members were in town. I am a member of the group but was unable to be there the next day. After a filling lunch at the Benezette Hotel, we visited for an hour or so with some of the members including Donna Groves Shaffer, who coincidentally, is from Butler. Afterwards, Elena and I found a remote, shady, spot to pull off the road for a much needed nap.

Before continuing our day in the field, we decided to have a quick hot dog at the Old Bull Cafe. While sitting on the porch waiting for our food, a cow elk came walking between the parked vehicles. Needless to say, this cleared the dining area and suddenly, we weren't alone. I captured this scene with my cell phone as Elena was preparing to do the same.

Cow Elk at Olde Bull CafeBenezette, PA

All of a sudden, the rut was happening around us. I just finished my hot dog and a bull elk and another cow entered the woods behind the cafe. At that point I decided to get my camera. The crowd gathered to watch the bull keep the cow where he wanted her. A Wildlife Conservation Officer showed up to make sure everyone gave these animals their space. I can't repeat it enough but these animals are wild animals. They aren't afraid of people because they see people all the time. However, they are not tame and a person could easily be killed.

PA Elk (Sept, 2015)

At times, she showed some admiration but continued to resist him.

PA Elk (Sept, 2015)

We decided to leave and as we were driving away, the State Police arrived to break up the traffic jam. Our next planned stop was to hike the trail to the new overlook built by the Pennsylvania Game Commission on their newly acquired land known as the Woodring Farm. On a break along the trail, I snapped this photo of the trunk of a pine tree. It just looked interesting to me. I added what I think is an appropriate quote.

We were here last year, before the construction. The views are still beautiful and there is always a chance of seeing elk in the fields behind the overlook and in the valley below. I also took a picture with my cell phone and immediately posted on Facebook saying "People go on vacation for views like this. So fortunate to have close to home".

Woodring Farm LookoutBenezette, PA

Our next stop was at the bottom of Dewey Road and access to "the saddle". Just as I was setting up my equipment, another friend, Jim "Muck" McClelland arrived and asked if were were going to Tom Dorsey's campsite on Winslow Hill. That sounded like a great idea so we followed him to the campsite. There wasn't any elk activity in the hills so the four of us sat around a campfire, had a cold beverage, and shared photography stories. Soon Donna (mentioned earlier), her friend Kathy, and another camera club member, Donna Mohney, arrived. As the sun set, I couldn't resist the photo opportunity.

Winslow Hill SunsetBenezette, PA

Although darkness prevented anymore photography, the elk didn't disappoint us. Bugling could be heard echoing over the miles of darkness, giving us hope that the next day would be better. I don't know how it could be!

Thanks for letting us share our experience with you,

Dan

Birds of Rivers, Ponds, Lakes and Streams

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Fri, 11 Sep 2015 00:32:51 GMT

2015 turned out to be a very nice year for my birding photography. It's not completely over as we have songbirds migrating through Pennsylvania on their way to their wintering grounds. There will also be numerous birds coming back to our, soon to be, winter landscape. I'm looking forward to making some memorable images of Golden-crowned and Ruby-crowned Kinglets not to mention the little Dark-eyed Juncos that visit our feeding stations all winter long.

But first, I'd like to share some additional images of birds found near water. We'll start off with the well known Belted Kingfisher and move on to the not so well known, Common Gallinule, and finish with a series of shorebirds I found along Lake Erie.

One day, as the sun dipped behind the hills, I found this male Belted Kingfisher perched above a small creek winding through a valley in Butler County, PA.

Belted KingfisherMale (one breast band)

I didn't have to watch him very long when he dropped into the water to snag a little fish.

Belted KingfisherMale (one breast band)

As he belted his familiar chatter, he tossed his fish around for a little while before swallowing it. I would have had photos but the darkness prevented me from making any sharp photos during quick movement.

Belted KingfisherMale (one breast band)

The Common Gallinule, formerly known as the Common Moorhen, will feed and shelter their young until they are old enough to feed themselves and fly. An unlikely breeder in Lawrence County, PA, this Common Gallinule family consisted of two adults and about seven chicks. On this day, the mid-morning sun provided harsh shadows and very high contrast images. I returned several times in the evening when the light would be favorable but the family was nowhere to be found. You can view more images from this morning in the Rails and Coots gallery.

Common Gallinule

Bird photography isn't complete without visiting the shores of the ocean or a large lake. In my case, the destination was the shores of Lake Erie. The fall migration of shorebirds peaks in September. Similar to the migrating warblers I've been photographing, the shorebirds do not have their breeding plumage right now. They are fun to photograph nonetheless because you never know what you're going to find at the shore.

Although the Sanderling is classified a sandpiper, it has many characteristics of a plover including three toes, a smaller body, and its run-and-snatch feeding traits.

Sanderling

Normally, you will find Sanderlings chasing waves up and down the beach looking for aquatic invertebrates, but in Pennsylvania, they can also be found in muddy ponds created by washed up lake water.

Sanderling

I was fortunate to come across these two birds at the shore. The bird on the left is a Red Knot still holding some of its breeding color into the fall. The migrating Red Knot will fly up to 19,000 miles in a single year. The bird on the right is a Short-billed Dowitcher. Another distance traveler, the Short-billed Dowitcher breeds in central and northern Canada and winters mostly on the shores of northern South America.

Red Knot and Short-billed Dowitcher

Avoiding deep water, the Short-billed Dowitcher can be found in mudflats, marshes, flooded fields, and beaches during migration.

Short-billed Dowitcher

The Short-billed Dowitcher has a unique way of feeding. They walk along sticking their beak into the ground in a stitching pattern, like a sewing machine.

Short-billed Dowitcher

I mentioned earlier that the Red Knot is a flying champion. It will fly from its northern breeding ground to the southern tip of South America and sometimes western Europe.

Red Knot

A Red Knot with muddy feet scanning the ground for food.

Red Knot

The Least Sandpiper is the smallest North American shorebird.

Least Sandpiper

The migratory pattern of our smallest shorebird, the Least Sandpiper, covers almost the entire half of the globe, twice a year, from the arctic to the southern tip of South America.

Least Sandpiper

The birds in the next photo are a Semipalmated Sandpiper on the left and Least Sandpiper on the right.

Semipalmated and Least Sandpipers

The Semipalmated Sandpiper also flies nearly half of the globe from breeding ground to its winter home.

During migration, the Semipalmated Sandpiper feeds feverishly during stopovers to replenish their body fat.

The Semipalmated Plover is another long distance migrator. Their two journeys are very different. In the spring, they are in a hurry to get to their northern breeding ground to lay their eggs at the start of the short summer. In the fall, they tend to take their time on their journey back to their winter home on the southern shores of the United States all the way down to southern South America.

Semipalmated Plover

The Semipalmated Plover is a shorebird that you may see swimming short distances while foraging for food during migration.

Semipalmated Plover

I hope you enjoyed viewing these photos. I haven't photographed very many shorebirds in the past so most of the shorebirds in this post were first-timers for me. If you would like to see additional photos of these shorebirds and other shorebirds, check out my Shorebird gallery.

Thanks for looking,

Dan

August in Pennsylvania

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Tue, 01 Sep 2015 22:13:44 GMT

There are a lot of beautiful places in our country. I've seen photos of many of them and visited some of them. With my focus being on wildlife photography, I don't capture enough images of our beautiful landscape. I usually have some excuse like, "There is too much traffic to stop", "I don't have the right lens" or, worst of all, "I don't have my camera with me". People who ride in the car with me, particularly my wife, Elena, can attest that I do a lot of turning around and backtracking because I "thought" I saw something unusual. I suppose that could become tiring. I never tire of the excitement of what could be around the next bend in the road or just over the next hill while walking in the woods.

August, the dog days of summer, the hot, humid days and nights, isn't the best time of year for wildlife photography. However, if you look, you can find it.

Right now, fall migration of songbirds has begun and our elk herd is entering the rut or mating season. Shorebird migration is getting underway so a trip to the shores of Lake Erie is a must. Whitetail fawns are losing their spots as their winter coat begins to grow. Wild Turkey are spotted with their poults, grown nearly as big as the parents, scattered around the landscape. And the familiar birds that are here all year are seen gathering seeds for a fatty treat or jumping from limb to limb searching for insects. Today, I want to show you what a walk in the woods or a ride into our mountains can bring.

I've passed this field in Lawrence county several times and it looks different each time. Finally, one day, I stopped and captured the wildflowers, mostly Goldenrod and Joe-Pie Weed, as they take over the landscape.

August LandscapeLawrence County, PA

A trip into the "Pennsylvania Wilds" region of Pennsylvania isn't complete without a stop in Elk county, the center of our elk herd. This bull was photographed only a couple weeks before shedding the velvet that covered the antlers as they grew.

PA Elk (Aug 2015)

Here are a couple fawns feeding on the edge of a meadow. What you can't see in the photograph is mom standing just inside the woods line making sure they are safe while she teaches them to survive.

White-tailed Deer

Most Wild Turkey you see won't stand still very long; no doubt a trait that is a key to their survival.

Wild Turkey

Sometimes, you'll get a curious Jake, immature male, that strikes a pose.

Wild Turkey

Early morning provides some of the most dramatic lighting for wildlife photography. By the time of this writing, this bulls antlers are free of velvet and polished with the oils of shrubbery giving them a deep, dark color with white tips.

PA Elk (Aug 2015)

Ripening apples are delicious nutrition for the pre-rut bull.

PA Elk (Aug 2015)

His antlers wrap nicely around his body as he stretches for apples.

PA Elk (Aug 2015)

Roadsides, flowering meadows, and anywhere else you find seed producing, native, perennials, you can find the American Goldfinch. The stems of this Woodland Sunflower are gathered, by an American Goldfinch, for stability.

American GoldfinchFemale

The Black and white Warbler is usually found circling tree trunks and limbs, similar to the White-breasted Nuthatch, searching cavities for insects. This female, probably a little curious of me, stopped on a branch.

Black-and-white WarblerFemale

With the rut around the corner, these two playful bulls spar around an old stump. In just a couple weeks, there will be an all-out-war as they vie for the females in heat.

PA Elk (Aug 2015)

I see quite a few Carolina Wrens coming to my feeding stations during the winter but I'm usually not in the right place at the right time during the summer. They are a shy bird making photography difficult. However, I recently had the good fortune of photographing this one.

Carolina Wren

It's great when a photograph captures the bright red eye color of the appropriately named Red-eyed Vireo.

Red-eyed Vireo

You will hear the explosive song of the secretive White-eyed Vireo before you will see its white eyes.

White-eyed Vireo

I hope you enjoyed this little journey through the Pennsylvania woodlands.

Thanks for looking,

Dan

Without Birds, The World Would Be Silent

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Sat, 29 Aug 2015 04:11:23 GMT

With August coming to a close I thought I'd better get busy and share some more of my end of summer birds images. Most of the time, I like to make my blogs meaningful and tell a story. Sometimes, I just want you, the reader, to be able to sit back and enjoy the photos. This time, I kept the text short and included a few appropriate quotes. I hope you enjoy.

Male American Goldfinch pulling seeds from fading Bull Thistle.

American GoldfinchMale

“A bird sitting on a tree is never afraid of the branch breaking, because her trust is not on the branch but on its own wings. Always believe in yourself” – Unknown

Good words to live by. This Purple Finch takes time from eating the fruits of various native trees to strike a pose for me.

Purple Finch

This curious male Hooded Warbler came out of the forest canopy to give me this pose.

Hooded WarblerMale

I love this upside-down pose from the White-breasted Nuthatch as it explores the cavities in the bark for insects.

White-breasted Nuthatch

Here is a peculiar pose from a male American Goldfinch.

American GoldfinchMale

The Black and white Warbler is a very busy bird circling the tree limbs looking for insects.

Black-and-white WarblerFemale

“In order to see birds it is necessary to become a part of the silence.” ― Robert Lynd

I like the previous quote by Robert Lynd because, in the bird watching world, it is the truth. Watching an undisturbed bird, like this female Yellow Warbler, is a quiet enjoyment that you have to experience to understand.

Yellow WarblerFemale

A bird does not sing because it has an answer. It sings because it has a song. ― Chinese Proverb

In Late August, Indigo Buntings begin to travel south for the winter. They will return to the same location next year. I already miss them!

Indigo BuntingMale

Use what talents you possess: the woods would be very silent if no birds sang there except those that sang best. ― Henry Van Dyke

I relate the previous quote to my photography. If I only shared the best, these web pages would be very empty. My goal is to share wildlife whether the image is top notch or not.

Male Dickcissel singing in the meadow.

DickcisselMale

God gives every bird its food, but He does not throw it into its nest. ― J.G. Holland

Red-tailed Hawk stalking its prey.

Red-tailed Hawk

Beautiful colors of a Killdeer photographed during preening.

Killdeer

This time of year can be frustrating to someone identifying birds in the field. All the young ones from spring and early summer are full grown but do not always possess the colors of the adult. It's not the case with the juvenile Northern Mockingbird in the photograph below as its coloring is very much like an adult.

Northern MockingbirdJuvenile

It wasn't very long ago the Sandhill Crane was a once a year sighting with documentation showing western Pennsylvania had only one or two breeding pairs. That seemed to have changed as more and more are being sighted.

Sandhill Crane

Here is a Tiger Swallowtail butterfly enjoying the nectar of a Teasel flower.
Tiger Swallowtail

I hope you enjoyed the images and text you just saw. Check back soon as fall is a great time for wildlife photography.

Thanks for looking,

Dan

Birds of the Thickets

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Wed, 19 Aug 2015 00:54:27 GMT

Photographing birds can sometimes be easy and sometimes difficult. A lot of the difficulty is dictated by the species and their preferred habitat. I get pretty excited when I get a clear line of sight at a bird that is usually hidden in the thick bushes and underbrush. Birds of the thickets is the topic of today's photo blog post.

I hope you enjoy the following photos of birds that are seldom seen. Some of them, like the Ovenbird, are great singers but remain under cover. The male Overbird is very vocal and sings from tree branches, usually pretty high. However, most of their time is spent, unseen, foraging on the ground. Ovenbird

Ovenbird

Brown Thrashers are known to be found in tangled shrubbery or on the ground under dense cover. Their main habitat is scrubby fields, dense regenerating woods, and forest edges. They rarely wander far from thick undergrowth so they can easily retreat at the sign of trouble. Brown Thrasher

The White-eyed Vireo is a bird of the thickets. Although they stay in dense cover, they are not always hard to see. They are brave birds that will come up to scold a birder, or photographer, if you begin to make squeaking sounds. They have a distinctive song that sounds like you are singing the words "chick-of-the-village".

White-eyed Vireo

You can find the energetic House Wren hopping quickly through tangles and low branches. In spring and summer, you will find them pausing to perform their cheerful songs but, in winter, they become more secretive and stay in the brushy tangles. House Wren

The Hooded Warbler is found in all kinds of forest undergrowth. Although the males will move up in the trees to sing, they usually stay low in the dark, shadowed, understory foraging in the bushes for a wide variety of insects. Hooded WarblerMale

Hooded WarblerMale

Last but not least, the Red-eyed Vireo forages in the deciduous canopies and are difficult to see amongst the leaves.

Red-eyed Vireo

They move slowly looking above and under the leaves for their favorite prey, a caterpillar.

Red-eyed Vireo

The Red-eyed Vireo is likely to be found in low thickets as well as taller trees. However, their attraction to thick, leafy vegetation is the reason I included them.

Red-eyed Vireo

Thanks for looking,

Dan

At The Water's Edge

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Sun, 09 Aug 2015 14:22:06 GMT

Wildlife is unpredictable. You can see a Belted Kingfisher hunting a couple days in a row, perched on what seems like its favorite tree. Then you set up a blind or hide in thick shrubs and wait, and wait, and wait, and they don't come back.

One thing to be certain is all wildlife needs water. So sitting near water will usually guarantee at least a sighting. That's what this photo blog entry is about. The photos in this series were made on two different mornings at two different locations.

I woke up one morning with no idea what kind of wildlife I was interested in photographing that day. After thinking about it during my morning cup of coffee, I decided to just spend a couple hours sitting in the trees along the edge of a flooded valley caused by an active beaver dam. When I arrived and set up my Canon 7D MK II equipped with a Canon 600mm f/4 lens and a 1.4x teleconverter on my tripod, I slowly made my way to the water's edge. The small scrubby trees that line the edge make is difficult to see through but it also helps to hide yourself. The key is to find a small opening that your lens can see through.

When I first got into position I could hear several whines and grunts made by the beavers swimming in the water. I could see the hut from my position but didn't expect anything to climb on top during daylight hours. I caught a glimpse of two beaver swimming around before disappearing and going silent. Sorry, no photos to share. A beavers nose sticking out of the water while swimming away from me isn't very interesting. There was a lot of Belted Kingfisher and Green Heron action across the swamp.

There are several dead trees in the water which is a common occurrence when beaver's flood a valley. After a little while, one of the Belted Kingfishers came to hunt, landing on a fairly close perch, on my side of the water.

Belted Kingfisher

It became alert when it saw potential breakfast in the water. Eventually, it left the perch to make a catch but, unfortunately, it flew in the opposite direction.

Belted Kingfisher

An Eastern Phoebe prefers open deciduous woodlands, forest edges and clearings; usually near water. They are a flycatcher and do just that. They perch, usually over water, and watch for insects to fly by. When they see one, they fly out, catch it, and return to a perch to wait for another. This little bird didn't seem to worry about me as it perched close by. Eastern Phoebe

There were a lot of young Wood Ducks swimming throughout the flooded valley and they tend to keep themselves surrounded by vegetation. Once in a while, however, you can catch one crossing an open area of water like this little female that swam through an opening about 100 yards in front of me.

Wood DuckJuvenile

Here's one more photo of a Belted Kingfisher that was busy patrolling the waters. This one perched about 25 yards beyond where the first one was.

Belted Kingfisher

In the evening, when I'm planning where I want to go to photograph wildlife the next day, I have good intentions to be in the woods early. That doesn't always happen. After getting up early for work all week long, sometimes I just need to sleep in. This one Saturday in July was one of those days. Even though it was sunny and hot outside and it was only 9:00 AM, I decided to just go for a ride in Moraine State Park to see what kinds of birds I can find. Mornings like that usually aren't very good for wildlife photography as most are under cover from the heat and are not moving around much. As I drove through a heavily wooded area in the park giving access to a section of the lake that forms a shallow, vegetation filled, cove, I decided to walk down the trail to see if the American Painted Turtles were sunning themselves on the logs protruding out of the water.

Since nobody fishes in this area during the summer, the weeds, thorns, and briar bushes grow over the path making it invisible to a person that doesn't know the area. I walked slowly, eating blackberries along the way, trying to make as little noise as possible. Even though the turtles are on a log, in the water, without walking access for predators, they still jump into the water the second they see you. As I quietly completed the 50 yards walk through the brush, I peeked through the leaves to see a family of juvenile Wood Ducks sitting on the log. I had to find a suitable opening in the leaves to photograph these beauties because, they, too, would flee if they noticed me. I was using my Canon 5D MK III full frame camera this morning with a 600 f/4 lens. There were a total of nine Wood Ducks on the log but I couldn't fit them all in the frame.

Wood DuckJuveniles

The water was calm making a nice reflection.

Wood DuckJuveniles

There were two people kayaking about 200 yards away and they were getting closer. As they approached the cove, the ducks began to stir. I guess it was time to stretch in case they had to leave in a hurry.

Wood DuckJuvenile (Female)

The ducks became curious of the approaching kayaks.

Wood DuckJuveniles (Female, Male)

An adult female flew into the cove but didn't land where the juveniles were sunbathing. She flew over the kayaks while vocalizing her high pitched distress call, "oo-eek, oo-eek, oo-eek, oo-eek". Obviously, I don't know what she said but her little ones sure did. Within seconds they began to act anxious, stand, and stretch.

Wood DuckJuveniles

The once sleepy ducks were now more interested in the approaching people. As I was well hidden and quiet, they were still unaware of me watching them.

Wood DuckJuveniles (Female, Male)

Another stretch from this little male. Even when they are young, you can identify which ones are the males and females. The two things I look for are the red eyes and the more prominent cheek markings of the male. Wood DuckJuvenile (Male)

He's hopping on the log as he exercises his wings.

Wood DuckJuvenile (Male)

Wood DuckJuvenile

Some stood to flap their wings in place before jumping off the log and swimming into the thick vegetation heading in the direction of the calling female. Wood DuckJuvenile

I enjoyed that encounter mostly because I got to witness the communication between mom and babies that humans will never understand. I spent about 1/2 hour viewing the Wood Ducks before they swam away. I went into the cove expecting to see turtles sunbathing and came out with these images. The saying, "expect the unexpected" is something to always keep in mind.

I stood in the same spot for awhile to see if any Wood Ducks or any other waterfowl or herons would come into the cove. None came. However, I was greeted, once again, by an Eastern Phoebe. You can always tell when a male Eastern Phoebe is in the area. You will hear his raspy call, "fee-bee, fee-bee". His call is what gives them their name.

Eastern Phoebe

As I continued to explore the shoreline this morning I was surprised to find a Great Egret. Here in western PA, I usually see them in mid-spring and early fall but not in the middle of the summer.

Great Egret

I usually don't photograph a lot of waterfowl outside of the waterfowl migration periods. This female Mallard Duck was allowing me to photograph a portrait, so I couldn't pass it up.

Mallard DuckFemale

Thanks for looking and, as always, comments are welcome and encouraged.

Dan

Summertime Deer and Elk

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Wed, 05 Aug 2015 01:30:03 GMT

Summertime is an interesting time to watch the White-tailed Deer and the much larger, American Elk. There is a lot happening in the lives of these animals. Males have long since dropped their antlers and the growth of a new rack has begun. Females, who have endured the winter pregnant, have given birth to their fawns (deer) and calves (elk).

By August, most of the young ones have grown considerably from tiny, wobbly legged, newborns. The heat and humidity of summer keeps the deer and elk undercover, in the woods, most of the day. If you want to see them you need to be looking in early morning and late in the evening.

Earlier this summer, I photographed this doe one early evening in the middle of a wheat field. With the wheat up to her shoulders, I couldn't tell if she had a fawn or not.

White-tailed Deer

Soy Bean fields are a favorite among the White-tailed Deer as a summertime meal. If you plant them, they will come. This nice buck was photographed feeding as the sun set behind the Pennsylvania hills.

White-tailed Deer

So, what is the purpose of antlers anyway? As far as I can tell, they are used for male to male competition and to attract a female. During the summer, male deer and elk herd together in bachelor groups of their own species. However, it seems like this July pair of White-tailed deer, are already feeling an attraction.

White-tailed Deer

So really, what is the purpose of antlers? Bottom line, they are for dominance to take a mate so that in the spring, we get to see these beautiful gems running around.

White-tailed Deer

Antler growth is among the fastest growing tissue in the animal kingdom. During peak antler growth, depending on nutrition, they can grow up to 1/2 inch per day. Age also plays a large part in antler growth. When a buck's life reaches beyond maturity, antler growth will slow and their rack will not be as large as it once was.

This is a young buck in the photos below.

White-tailed Deer

In a western Pennsylvania July, the setting sun quickly leaves us in unfriendly photography light. Sometimes, especially when it's hot outside, we need to bump up the camera iso and hope to capture the subject without blurry movement. In the following photo made at 8:35 PM, the sun had already dipped behind the hills so the settings on my Canon 5D Mark III, equipped with a 600mm lens and a 1.4 teleconverter, was 1/100 at f/5.6 and iso 640. This camera is very capable of making low-noise photographs at high iso's, such as 1200 and 1600 but I kept it down during this photo session because I was not close to the subject and I knew I would need to crop the images I made.

White-tailed Deer

To illustrate how quickly we lose light when the sun sets, this images was made three minutes later in the same background and the shutter speed was 1/80.

White-tailed Deer

I was driving through a deeply shaded section of woods at 8:00 one evening when I saw a doe and her two fawns. Not thinking I'd get a salvageable photograph, I decided to try. Nothing ventured nothing gained, right? One of the fawns was curious enough to pause at the woodland edge instead of following mom and sibling deep into the underbrush. Using my handheld, wide-open, Canon 7D Mark II set at iso 1600 and a shutter speed of 1/25, I rattled off images until the baby turned and followed the rest of the family into the woods. I was shocked to find a couple sharp images in the group.

White-tailed Deer

Soon, the velvet will begin to dry and the buck, using small trees, will polish his antlers to a dark bone color. In the meantime, he will continue to feed his antler growth on one of his favorites, soy beans.

White-tailed Deer

September and October are not the only times to visit Elk County in Pennsylvania to view an American Elk. I will tell you this, they are a lot harder to find in times outside of breeding season, known as the rut. June through the fall is a nice time to watch interaction between elk cows and their calves. It is also a nice time to watch antler growth on the bulls too.

I try to visit Elk Country eight to ten times a year. During the summer, you have to be there very early in the morning or late in the evening to see an elk. Like the white-tailed Deer, they spend the days in the cooler shadows of the forest. And the thick forests and steep mountains of elk country, centered in Elk County, provide optimal coverage for them. If the day is too hot, they won't come out of the woods until close to sunset leaving very little time for elk photography. You can visit the Benezette area during the summer months and not even see an elk. Bull elk are sociable during most of the year, living in bachelor groups located deeper in the back country. With a little experience, and luck, you can still find these majestic animals.

PA Elk (Jul 2015)

In mid-summer, you are more likely to catch a glimpse of an elk cow, which, if you love wildlife, is an amazing treat too.

PA Elk (Aug 2015)

Many of my recent bull elk sightings were on steep hillsides at the edge of the forest.

PA Elk (Aug 2015)

The vegetation in the open meadows grew so tall it would consume most animals. It would even be over the shoulders of a white-tailed Deer but at 50 to 60 inches tall at the shoulders, the elk towers above it all.

PA Elk (Aug 2015)

Elk, especially bull elk, feed constantly to build weight and strength for the upcoming rut. During the rut, they are so busy gathering and protecting their harem of cows, they forget to eat.

PA Elk (Aug 2015)

In late August, bull bachelor groups begin to separate and start gathering harems of cows. The bulls will jealousy guard their harems into September when vocalization will increase. Rut activity generally peaks in the last two weeks of September.

Although still in velvet, it looks like this bull is showing some attitude to the smaller elk.

PA Elk (Aug 2015)

I found this 5X5 eating apples in a Benezette resident's backyard.

PA Elk (Aug 2015)

There will be some hurting bulls this fall after running into the next elk. I've seen a couple large racks in the Benezette area and this one rivals them all.

PA Elk (Aug 2015)

I wonder what his bugle will sound like? Looking forward to seeing him again in September.

PA Elk (Aug 2015)

I hope you enjoyed this blog of my summertime deer and elk photos. With fall arriving soon, there will be plenty more to share.

Check back soon,

Dan

Meet The Mrs., Again!

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Tue, 28 Jul 2015 23:58:12 GMT

Earlier this year, January 4th to be exact, I wrote a blog comparing the color differences between the male and female birds of the same species. Lately, I found that I have photographed several more male/female combinations so I thought I'd share another installment of "Meet The Mrs.".

Throughout much of the year, at least in Pennsylvania, the male American Goldfinch has a deep black cap, wings, and tail. During winter, he is much more closer to the color of the female, leading some people to question "what kind of bird is that?".

American GoldfinchMale

Meet the Mrs. She does have black on her wings but she is mostly olive-green and yellow throughout the year.

American GoldfinchFemale

The male Indigo Bunting is a brilliant bright blue. Or is he? Actually, Indigo Buntings lack blue pigment in their feathers. The sky blue look comes from microscopic structures in their feathers that refract and reflect blue light. Take an Indigo Bunting into the shade and you will see a much darker bird.

Indigo BuntingMale

Meet the Mrs. She doesn't have the same issue as the male. She is brownish overall with brown streaks on her chest and a whitish throat.

Indigo BuntingFemale

The male Rose-breasted Grosbeak is bursting with black, white, and a red "V" on his chest.

Rose-breasted GrosbeakMale

Meet the Mrs. She, with her brown and white feathers with brown streaks, resembles immature Rose-breasted Grosbeaks. You can't see it in the pictures but, in flight, the male flashes pinkish-red under the wings and the female flashes yellow.

Rose-breasted GrosbeakFemale

One of the most dazzling birds of the forest canopy is the Scarlet Tanager. His bright red body and black wings are noticeable even on the cloudiest days.

Scarlet TanagerMale

Meet the Mrs. She is hard to overlook too. However, her greenish yellow color makes her harder to spot amongst the branches and leaves. Not in this photograph though. She was posing for me.

Scarlet TanagerFemale

The adult male Common Yellowthroat is a yellow and olive green bird with a broad black mask. Immature males look similar but shows only traces of the black mask.

Common YellowthroatAdult Male (Spring)

Meet the Mrs. She looks very similar to the male but lacks the mask.

Common YellowthroatFemale

Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are bright emerald green on the back and crown, with gray-white underparts. The male has a brilliant, shiny red throat that looks dark in poor light.

Ruby-throated HummingbirdMale

Meet the Mrs. She looks very similar to the male but lacks the red throat.

Ruby-throated HummingbirdFemale

Sometimes, you have to look hard to distinguish the gender of a Yellow Warbler. They are both uniformly yellow birds except the male has reddish streaks on his chest.

Yellow WarblerMale

Meet the Mrs. She was preening and had her back turned to me when I made this photograph. Other than the lack of streaks on her chest, she looks like the male. You'll have to take my word for it, this is the Mrs.

Yellow WarblerFemale

The male Bobolink is mostly black and white and, during breeding, he has a large yellow patch on his head. It was late in the breeding season when I made this photograph and the yellow color on his head has nearly turned white.

BobolinkMale

Meet the Mrs. She is a warm brown color with dark brown streaks. Just wait though, the non-breeding male has the same colors and looks like the female.

BobolinkFemale

I hope you enjoyed meeting the Mrs., again. Click the link if you would like to visit/revisit my first "Meet The Mrs."

Until next time,

Dan

Feathered Friends of the Forest and Stream

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Mon, 20 Jul 2015 03:24:15 GMT

I've had a few requests lately to share some photos other than birds. I guess I have posted a lot of birds so far this year. Let's look at it this way. According to the Pennsylvania Game Commission's wild bird and mammal list, Pennsylvania has 285 regular species of birds and 129 less frequent visitors. Compare that to the 66 wild species of mammals and it's easy to see why I photograph more birds. Maybe this winter I will take some time to put together a list of bird species I've photographed.

Hopefully, I'll be photographing some mammals soon but, right now, I'm still working the birds. So, I hope this doesn't disappoint but I have enough images for this and future photo blogs.

Hooded Warblers are difficult to photograph this time of the year as they spend a lot of time higher in the trees. When one comes down for a moment, you'd better be ready.

Hooded WarblerMale

I love the perkiness of the Blue-gray Gnatcatcher. This is another bird constantly on the move. They flitter around the trees all the way to the weeds on the ground scaring up insects. A photographer needs to follow them closely in the viewfinder for the moment they pose like this.

Blue-gray GnatcatcherMale

I've always had a hard time finding the Blue-winged Warbler. I always hear the unmistakably buzzing sound they make but they blend into the thick foliage of the treetops. This year, I've been very fortunate. There are more images of this species in the Warblers & Tanagers gallery.

Blue-winged WarblerAdult Male (Spring)

Here is an interesting tidbit. When a Blue-winged Warbler shares the same habitat as the similar Golden-winged Warbler, they have been known to successfully reproduce a hybrid known as the "Brewster's Warbler". In the rare instance a pair of the hybrid Brewster's Warbler's are able to reproduce successfully, that second-generation hybrid is known as the "Lawrence's Warbler".

Below is another pose from the Blue-winged Warbler.

Blue-winged WarblerMale

The Yellow-breasted Chat likes dense, often thorny, cover which makes them a tough bird to find for good photography. It is believed that because of the maturation of previously logged forests, the loss of habitat has put the chat population on a decline.

Yellow-breasted Chat

The only thrasher species east of Texas, the Brown Thrasher's downward bill and yellow eyes gives it a somewhat serious look.

Brown Thrasher

A lively singer, the Brown Thrasher has one of the largest repertoires of any North American songbird.

Brown Thrasher

Another bird of the dense underbrush, the Common Yellowthroat possesses one of the most well known songs.

Common YellowthroatMale

The early morning sunlight is barely touching this Common Yellowthroat.

Common YellowthroatMale

Simple beauty of a female Common Yellowthroat.

Common YellowthroatFemale

The Eastern Towhee is a bird of the undergrowth where they rummage through leaves on the ground, giving away their location.

Eastern TowheeMale

Unlike robins and many other fruit-eating birds, Baltimore Orioles seem to prefer only ripe, dark-colored fruit. They prefer the darkest mulberries, the reddest cherries, and the deepest-purple grapes over ripe green grapes and yellow cherries.

Baltimore OrioleMale

One of the most frustrating birds to find, the Scarlet Tanager spends its time in the highest forest canopies singing its rich, burry notes.

Scarlet TanagerMale

In the spring, the loud and joyous song of the Ovenbird can be heard throughout the forest. Determining the location of the song is difficult. This bird is often heard and seldom seen.

Ovenbird

The Ovenbird rarely exposes itself so active searching and patience is needed to get a good look at it.

Ovenbird

Usually the first choice for calendars and Christmas cards, the Northern Cardinal is one of the most beautiful birds commonly seen in our backyards.

Northern CardinalMale

Although it's named Prairie Warbler, you won't find one on the prairie. It is most often found in scrubby fields and forests throughout eastern and south-central United States.

Prairie WarblerMale

The male Prairie Warbler has two types of song. One is for courtship and maintenance of a male/female bond and the other is used to defend its territory.

Prairie WarblerMale

The Purple Finch, easily confused with a House Finch, is known as the bird dipped in raspberry juice.

Purple Finch

This Gray Catbird takes time out of its day for some preening.

Gray Catbird

The Eastern Kingbird is a common sight around water. They perch to watch for insects flying over the water. It will fly out and pick it out of the air and return to its perch.

Eastern Kingbird

One of my favorite little birds to photograph is the Red-eyed Vireo. Sometimes they are difficult to find and sometimes they give you a nice pose. One of the challenges is to photograph them in the right light to highlight their red eyes.

Red-eyed Vireo

This Red-eyed Vireo was so busy tracking an insect that it didn't even care I was nearby.

Red-eyed Vireo

After flying to a higher branch, it locates the target under some leaves.

Red-eyed Vireo

The white eyes and the olive-green, yellow and white feather colors of the White-eyed Vireo take a backseat compared to its snappy song.

White-eyed Vireo

Although the White-eyed Vireo is a bird of the dense bush, they will come to take a look when an intruder (birder, photographer, etc...) gets too close.

White-eyed Vireo

Well, that's all for this time. Check back soon if you love wildlife.

Thanks for looking,

Dan

To Seize or Take By Force

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Thu, 09 Jul 2015 23:00:20 GMT

Birds of prey, also known as raptors, hunt and feed on other animals. The term "raptor" is derived from the Latin word rapere, which means to seize or take by force. One thing raptors have in common is keen vision that allows them to find prey during flight, and powerful beaks and talons.

I have photographs of three different species of raptors that I saw this spring. I thought a good way to share them is in a photo blog about raptors.

One of my favorite activities in the spring is watching nesting Bald Eagles. Over the last few years, I've photographed and posted in my blog, several nests of Bald Eagles. The eagle in the photo below was facing the wind, flapping, and jumping up and down. Soon it will be branching, the ability to take long hops to nearby branches and back, and then ultimately, flying.

Bald EagleJuvenile

As the eaglets grow, their parents stay away from the nest for longer periods of time. On this day, my wife, Elena, and I waited for about three hours to photograph interaction between an adult and the eaglets. The setting sun had already dipped below the nearby hills when the adults came back to the nesting tree. Bald EagleThese are the parents of the Columbiana Eaglets. This image was made about 5 or 10 minutes after the evening sun dipped behind the nearby hills. When the eaglets are close to fledging, the parents seem to stay away from the nest a little longer.

The parents, proudly perched above the nest, rest as the sun continues to set on another day. Bald EagleThese are the parents of the Columbiana Eaglets. This image was made about 5 or 10 minutes after the evening sun dipped behind the nearby hills. When the eaglets are close to fledging, the parents seem to stay away from the nest a little longer.

During the 11 to 13 weeks it takes for an eaglet to reach the developmental milestone called branching and then later taking their first flight, there is definitely some downtime. I spent quite a bit of time watching a few eagle nests this spring waiting for something exciting to happen like mom or dad bringing food to the nest. I don't know who would have been happier, me or the eaglets. Below is a 41 second video that represents an afternoon of nest watching. Eaglets on Nest Eaglets on Nest

Boring? Not for a second.

On a side note, don't always look for eagles in trees. Many times they are found close to, or on the ground, as I found this Bald Eagle perched on a stump in a swamp.

Bald Eagle

The Osprey is unique among raptors in its diet for fish and its ability to dive into the water at high speeds to catch them. I found the Osprey in the photo below perched in a tree near the shoreline of Lake Arthur at Moraine State Park in western Pennsylvania. Osprey

Northern Harriers, although not related to owls, are the most owl-like of hawks. Although they have sharp vision like other raptors, they also use their hearing to capture prey. Much like an owl, the stiff facial feathers on their face helps to direct sound to the ears. Northern HarrierMale

With a wingspan of 40 to 46 inches, you are most likely to notice Northern Harriers when they are flying. I watched this one flying low to the ground in a circular flight style. Northern HarrierMale

When they see or hear a rodent on the ground, they amazingly flip and dive to the earth. Northern HarrierMale

Northern Harriers are common but their numbers are declining. They do have an interesting history. Northern Harrier fossils dating from 11,000 to 40,000 years ago have been unearthed in northern Mexico.

That makes me think of the question... If they have been around for the last 40,000 years, what are we doing to this earth that puts them on the decline now?

Until next time,

Dan

Courtship of the Cedar Waxwing

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Thu, 25 Jun 2015 12:29:16 GMT

Sometimes you just never know what you are going to see when you allow yourself some free time in nature. On a recent morning, I was watching a sun soaked, shrubby bank at Moraine State Park in Western Pennsylvania. I was photographing the Yellow Warblers while I waited for a nesting pair of Baltimore Orioles to come down from the tall trees. Soon, I began hearing the high-pitched, thin whistles of Cedar Waxwings. A small flock of about six were occupying the evergreens behind me.

Cedar Waxwing

Still waiting for the Baltimore Orioles to return, I now focused my attention to the small flock of silky birds. Two, in particular, kept flying into a thick tangle of branches of a nearby spruce tree. I followed them in my camera lens until I found them and their nest. They build a cup shaped nest made of bark, twigs, moss, and grass. The completed nest is about five inches across and three inches high. Interestingly, the female waxwings do almost all the nest building. The males may help for the second nest of the season.

Cedar Waxwing

After a short period of time, the remaining flock flew past me and landed in the shrubby hillside. The hillside is dotted with a few taller trees that don't surpass 25 feet. One of the waxwings flew out onto a branch giving me a nicely lit, profile photograph.

Cedar Waxwing

I hurried to make a few images before it flew to another perch that may not be as ideal for a photograph. For a change, it was content on its twiggy perch and began to preen. For the bird population, preening means to straighten and clean its feathers.

Cedar Waxwing

All fluffed up, the waxwing takes a break from preening to look around.

Cedar Waxwing

Before I continue, I want to describe the courtship ritual of the Cedar Waxwing. According to reliable birding sources, when a male and female courtship each other, males and females hop towards each other, alternating back and forth and sometimes touch their bills together. Males often pass a small item like a fruit, insect, or flower petal, to the female. After taking the gift, the female usually hops away and then returns giving back the item to the male. They repeat this a few times until, typically, the female eats the gift.

My experience was similar, but different. There was another waxwing in an adjacent tree and the waxwing I was watching became more alert indicated by the lift of its crest.

Cedar Waxwing

So, as it turns out, the waxwing I've been watching is the female. She began putting herself in a "funny" pose and lifting her tail. To be honest, I thought she was going to poop.

Cedar Waxwing

She picked a worm from a nearby leaf and held it in her beak. Courting descriptions that I have read all indicate that the male provides the treat. In this case, the female was the provider.

Cedar Waxwing

The male swooped into the same tree a few feet above the female. She turned to offer the treat.

Cedar Waxwing

Within minutes, the male came down and ended the courtship.

Cedar Waxwing

The female is still holding the meaty treat.

Cedar Waxwing

Just like that, it was over. The waxwings continued flying between the evergreens behind me and I continued to photograph Yellow Warblers and waiting for the Baltimore Orioles.

Until next time,

Dan

Springtime Songsters - Part Three

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Sat, 20 Jun 2015 21:41:28 GMT

Welcome to the third in a three-part series of photo blogs sharing some images I made during the spring songbird migration. This last blog in the series is going to be a little different as I am going to share a few birds that aren't considered "songbirds". However, they do have a distinctive sound when you hear them.

When you are around water, you can be sure to find Red-winged Blackbirds. This one was jumping from lily pad to lily pad looking for something tasty.

Red-winged BlackbirdMale

Although the female Rose-breasted Grosbeak lacks the beautiful colors of the male, she shares his talent for his beautiful song. Their song is a series of whistled notes sometimes described as a hurried song of an American Robin.

Rose-breasted GrosbeakFemale

The Male Summer Tanager's color is Rose Red overall. The female is mostly yellow/green. The Summer Tanager in the photo below is a juvenile male Summer Tanager. Their northern breeding ground extends into southern Pennsylvania but sometimes, a few birds will overshoot it. If your lucky, like I was, you will get to see one.

Summer TanagerMale (Juvenile)

Most Thrushes feed on the ground but the Swainson's Thrush is an exception. They are also good at foraging through the trees and sometimes hovering like a warbler or vireo.

Swainson's Thrush

Speaking of vireos, next is a photo of a Warbling Vireo. Although this vireo lacks flashy colors, his familiar song identifies him throughout the spring in local parks and urban areas. He may be hard to find as he likes to forage from leafy cover to leafy cover not giving very many opportunities as I got to make this photo.

Warbling Vireo

The Wilson's Warbler is easily identified by their yellow underparts and black cap.

Wilson's WarblerMale

Wilson's Warbler

Wilson's WarblerMale

The Yellow Warbler is very common in western Pennsylvania and can be heard singing along roadsides across nearly all of North America.

Yellow WarblerMale

Yellow Warbler chasing a flying treat.

Yellow WarblerMale

The Yellow-rumped Warbler is the only warbler that is able to digest waxes found in bayberries and wax myrtles. Its ability to eat these fruits allows it to winter farther north than other warblers.

Yellow-rumped WarblerMale

Cool fact: Male Yellow-rumped Warblers tend to forage higher in the trees than the female.

Yellow-rumped WarblerMale

Thanks for Looking,

Dan

Springtime Songsters - Part Two

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Wed, 17 Jun 2015 01:29:51 GMT

This is the second of a three part series on my spring songbird photographs.

One of my favorite sounds on a May, June, or July evening is the bubbly song of a nesting House Wren. I have several species of birds occupying nest boxes around my property but, one in particular, attracts a pair of House Wrens every year. Below is the male, in a classic wren pose, perched on the soft, new growth of a nearby Blue Spruce.

House WrenMale

The female, although quieter than the male, is ever present in search of food.

House WrenFemale

Up next is the beautiful black and yellow Magnolia Warbler. Below is an interesting little story from The Cornell Lab of Ornithology about the origin of the name, Magnolia Warbler.

"The name of the species was coined in 1810 by Alexander Wilson, who collected a specimen from a magnolia tree in Mississippi. He actually used the English name "Black-and-yellow Warbler" and used "magnolia" for the Latin species name, which became the common name over time."

Magnolia WarblerMale

Magnolia Warbler stretching for a meaty morsel.

Magnolia WarblerMale

Okay, I know, the Northern Flicker is not a songbird. I'm sneaking it in anyway. I saw a pair of flicker's in the meadow I was watching and this male (indicated by the black mustache, known as the malar) flew down on an ant hill, one of his favorite treats.

Northern Flilcker

After picking at ants for a few minutes, he flew to a nearby tree before flying out of range. The female never came close enough for a photograph.

Northern Flilcker

The Northern Parula is a small warbler generally found in the upper canopies of trees. So, patience is really important when photographing these birds. Sometimes, you need to wait a long time for them to follow the insects into the lower branches. The Northern Parula in the image below is a female.

Northern ParulaFemale

The Palm Warbler winters in the southern United States and Caribbean but breeds in northern Canada. That's quite a trip! The next two photos are of male Palm Warblers.

Palm WarblerMale

One of the most brilliant yellow-orange birds returning north is the Prothonotary Warbler. Do you wonder how it ever got a name like that? Well, the name "Prothonotary" refers to clerks in the Roman Catholic church, whose robes were bright yellow.

This male Prothonotary Warbler was singing in a nesting tree. It looks like he was busy searching for food in the wet leaves.

Prothonotary WarblerMale

Feeling at home amongst the spider webs.

Prothonotary WarblerMale

The Prothonotary Warbler is one of only two warbler species that nest in cavities. The other is the Lucy's Warbler which is found in the southeastern United States and Central America. In the next image, the Prothonotary Warbler is clutching the opening of his nesting site.

Prothonotary WarblerMale

One of the most common summer residents of our eastern forests, the Red-eyed Vireo, is a very prolific singer. A single male may sing up to 30 or more different songs. Over 12,500 different song types have been recorded.

Cool fact: Red-eyed Vireo's are born with a brown iris. The red color doesn't develop until the end of the bird's first winter.

Red-eyed Vireo

Vireos eat just about anything from seeds and fruits to invertebrates. The smaller stuff they can swallow whole but they have to hold down their larger catch with one foot and pick it apart. When I see a Red-eyed Vireo, it is usually flying back and forth from a perch to food; very similar to a phoebe.

Red-eyed Vireo

Well, that's all for the second of this three part series. Check back soon for "Springtime Songsters - Part Three".

Thanks for looking,

Dan

Springtime Songsters - Part One

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Sun, 14 Jun 2015 01:16:25 GMT

Once again, the main songbird migration month has come and gone. Some songsters departed for the great north and some breed here in Pennsylvania and other parts of the northeast.

I believe the harsh winter with its lingering cold and ice slowed the migration down a little. When they did arrive, they didn't seem to stay as long. My diversity of photographs isn't as large as it was last spring. It doesn't matter though, I enjoyed making the photographs of the birds I saw and will continue throughout the summer.

I plan to split this series into three parts. I decided to share them alphabetically this year.

I'll start with a male American Redstart. This bird jumps around the branches a lot looking for insects and is hard to photograph. If you look closely, you can see spider webs across the top of his head.

American RedstartMale

This next photograph is a female American Redstart. Here is a cool fact for you: The male American Redstart sometimes has two mates at the same time. Many other polygamous bird species involve two females nesting in the same territory, but the Redstart maintains two separate territories separated by up to a quarter-mile. The male begins attracting a second female after the first has completed her clutch and is incubating the eggs.

American RedstartFemale

A large warbler of the northern spruce forests, the Bay-breasted Warbler benefits from spruce budworm outbreaks when the caterpillars provide abundant food. Spraying to control the destructive outbreaks may have reduced populations of this warbler.

On a side note, I made a serious effort a couple years ago to discontinue use of all pesticides. Yes, I see more insects now but they don't last long. Why? I now have more birds. I wish everyone would stop worrying about making their lawns look like a pristine park and worry more about the wildlife they are affecting .

The photo below is a male Bay-breasted Warbler.

Bay-breasted WarblerMale

The Black-throated Blue Warbler is becoming my favorite in the warbler family. Their beauty is stunning and, most of the time, seems like it knows how to work with a photographer.

As a side note: While on the wintering grounds, the sexes use slightly different habitats. The male is most common in forest at lower to mid-elevations, while the female uses shrubbier habitat at higher elevations.

This male Black-throated Blue Warbler stoped to pose for me.

Black-throated Blue WarblerMale

Such a handsome guy I had to post another.

Black-throated Blue WarblerMale

The Black-throated Green Warbler is an abundant breeder of the northeastern coniferous forests, they are easy to recognize by sight and sound. The image below is a female Black-throated Green Warbler.

Black-throated Green WarblerFemale

Blackburnian Warbler is the only North American warbler with an orange throat.

Blackburnian WarblerMale

The Blackburnian Warbler is territorial on its breeding grounds and solitary in the winter. It only forms flocks during migration.

Blackburnian Warbler

The Common Yellowthroat is very common throughout the summer here in the northeast. They are vocal birds, and both their witchety-witchety-witchety songs and distinctive call notes help reveal their presence.

Common YellowthroatMale

Each male normally has only one mate in his territory during a breeding season. However, a female’s mating calls often attract other males, and she may mate with them behind her mate’s back.

I found this male Common Yellowthroat early one morning hunting for insects among tangled shrubs.

Common YellowthroatMale

The olive-brown Eastern Wood-Pewee is inconspicuous until it gives its unmistakable call: pee-a-wee!

Cool fact: The Eastern Wood-Pewee's lichen-covered nest is so inconspicuous that it often looks like a knot on a branch.

Eastern Wood-Pewee

This photo of a Gray-cheeked Thrush is a first for me. They are a shy bird spending most of their time in the underbrush making them very hard to find. I'd like to say I led a successful search for this bird but that's not the case. I stumbled upon him and had to figure out which thrush it was at a later time. Very happy to photograph another lifer.

Gray-cheeked Thrush

Well, that's all for now. Check back soon for "Springtime Songsters - Part Two".

Thanks for looking,

Dan

A Rapid Journey To Adulthood

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Tue, 09 Jun 2015 03:13:40 GMT

Over the last three weeks I visited a Heron rookery and a Bald Eagle's nest twice. After the second visit to each, I thought it was very interesting how much larger the heron chicks and eaglets were. The subject was interesting to me so I thought I'd explore their growth rate a little more.

The following two images appeared in my May 18th blog, Great Blue Heron Family, showing two heron chicks in the nest with a parent during my May 16th visit.

Great Blue HeronRookery, nesting colony

I returned three weeks later, on June 7th, to find a very different story. First of all, very few adults were sitting on the nests. Most of them were hunting or perched on a nearby tree.

Great Blue HeronChicks @ Heron rookery

I found a couple nests with heron chicks that were still rather small. Perhaps they hatched later than most of the rookery.

Great Blue HeronChicks @ Heron rookery

A Great Blue Heron chick will grow to adult size in about six weeks. The following group of chicks are filling up the nest leaving little room for an adult.

Great Blue HeronChicks @ Heron rookery

These heron chicks were cooling themselves by panting. They sit on the nest, in the sun, moving air rapidly in and out of their lungs.

Great Blue HeronChicks @ Heron rookery

What to look forward to... The chicks will be nearly full grown at 9 weeks of age. Their wingspan will then be as large as the adults.

My other experience was a visit to a Bald Eagle's nest only two weeks apart. The first visit, on May 23rd, I was able to see two eaglets in the nest with an adult on guard to protect them.

Bald EagleAdult and Eaglets

Based on previous reports regarding when the hatching took place, these eaglets are about 4 weeks old. After four weeks on a 5 to 6 foot platform, siblings can get a little defensive.

Bald EagleAdult and Eaglets

Taking a break in the hot sun, the little eaglet peaks over the nest.

Bald Eagle

Below is a photo of the four week old siblings. Soon, their down will be replaced by feathers.

Bald EagleEaglets

My next visit to the nest came on June 3rd, a short two weeks later. You can see how much the eaglets have grown. At six weeks, the eaglets are very nearly as large as their parents.

Bald EagleEaglets

Once the eaglets develop their dark feathers, the parents spend less time on the nest. (This photo was made during the first visit)

Bald Eagle

The eaglet on the left must have been the first to hatch. It is slightly larger and is the one exercising its wings most often. Once again, the activity antagonizes the sibling.

Bald EagleEaglets

Although it is looking much older, its feathers are still developing.

Bald EagleEaglets

A dignified and respectful profile!

Bald EagleEaglet

Although it looks like I was very close to this nest, the credit goes to some fine digital DSLR technology and lenses. I've said it time and again we strive to photograph wildlife displaying their natural behavior, without disturbing or endangering the wildlife. I find it very peaceful sitting on a hillside waiting for an adult eagle to bring food to the nest. After four or five hours pass and darkness begins to fall, I am still without the photo I desire.

It is interesting to watch the daily events of an eaglet flapping its wings, taking a nap, flapping some more, taking another nap, an occasional poop, moving sticks around in the nest, and basic exploring of the nest they've spent the last six weeks in.

Sometimes, a different perspective is in order.

Bald EagleEaglet

With the rapid development of feathers, the anticipation of someday taking flight is on its mind. Bald EagleEaglets

On a side note: an adult eagle flew by overhead twice that day but didn't come to the nest during my visit.

Looking forward, at eight weeks, the appetites of the young birds will be at their greatest. The parents will hunt almost continuously to feed them. Back at the nest, the eaglets will begin to stretch their wings into gusts of wind and may even be lifted off their feet for short periods.

With growing appetites, I should have more opportunities to capture the adults bringing in food under better light.

Thanks for looking,

Dan

An Hour With The Lake Wilhelm Eagles

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Tue, 02 Jun 2015 01:21:29 GMT

Last Saturday, my wife, Elena, and I decided to take a ride up to Lake Wilhelm in Maurice K. Goddard state park to watch a pair of nesting Bald Eagles. Since this nest is about 300 yards from the viewing areas, I usually don't make very many photographs on our visits because, after cropping, the images usually don't look very good. Somehow, I always feel pressured to make photographs anyway. Then I usually delete them when I get home.

There wasn't any wind that night and the evening light was pretty nice. My shutter speed still crept under 500 sometimes lending to possible blurred movement. For those of you that have experience with DSLR's and iso, I will just add that I didn't set my iso any higher than 400 because I knew I'd be cropping the image pretty severely.

I was pretty happy with the outcome that night so I processed a handful of photographs to document the evening and I'd like to share.

We only spent about an hour watching the eagles this night. When we got there, both eagles were perched in a tree about 50 yards to the right of the nest. The nest, by the way, is the current home of two growing eaglets. More on them later. It was very interesting watching this pair as they seemed to go through many emotions.

Bald EagleMaurice K. Goddard State Park. Sandy Lake, PA

There were some Common Grackles and Red-winged Blackbirds flying all around the swamp. This Red-winged Blackbird flew very close to the eagles.

Bald EagleMaurice K. Goddard State Park. Sandy Lake, PA

Let's talk about how you tell the difference between a male and a female Bald Eagle. The two most obvious points are a female is larger than the male and a female has a deeper eye cavity than the male giving the illusion of wearing eye shadow makeup. With that said, I can't for sure say which gender these eagles are. So, in order to not make a mistake. I won't refer to the eagles as he or she in this posting.

After 10 or 15 minutes of preening, this eagle shakes it up to finish up the preening process.

Bald EagleMaurice K. Goddard State Park. Sandy Lake, PA

The eagle on the right must have recently flown in because it was panting a lot. They don't sweat so they cool themselves by panting; similar to a dog. At times, this couple moved close to each other as if they were communicating.

Bald EagleMaurice K. Goddard State Park. Sandy Lake, PA

Earlier, I mentioned two eaglets on the nest. Below is a photo I made during a short time they had their heads above the nest. They were watching mom and dad.

Bald EagleTwo eaglets this year
Maurice K. Goddard State Park. Sandy Lake, PA

Another photo of the pair.

Bald EagleMaurice K. Goddard State Park. Sandy Lake, PA

The eagle on the right began to chatter at the other one. Only they know what they were communicating but it was pretty intense.

Bald EagleMaurice K. Goddard State Park. Sandy Lake, PA

Another five minutes went by with not much activity.

Bald EagleMaurice K. Goddard State Park. Sandy Lake, PA

Then, it happened. I'm sure a bird can poop while it flies but they always seem to do it right before they take off. Maybe they are lightening the load! Some cultures believe it is good luck to be hit by bird poop. I'm not sure I would want to be the target of an eagle.

Bald EagleMaurice K. Goddard State Park. Sandy Lake, PA

Then it was time to go.

Bald EagleMaurice K. Goddard State Park. Sandy Lake, PA

When the eagle took off, so did the Red-winged Blackbird that was sitting nearby the whole time. There are some brave and aggressive little birds out there. I don't think I'd pick on someone so much larger than me. The eagle flew between some trees before it turned and flew away from me and towards the lake. The red-winged Blackbird was on its tail for about 100 yards before the eagle's speed was too much for it.

Bald EagleMaurice K. Goddard State Park. Sandy Lake, PA

The other eagle sat in the tree watching it's mate fly away.

Bald EagleMaurice K. Goddard State Park. Sandy Lake, PA

I fully appreciate any and all time I get to spend in nature. Add the elegant Bald Eagle in the scene and it is a time you will not soon forget.

Thanks for looking,

Dan

Gems of the Water and Woods

(Dan Gomola Wildlife Photography) — Fri, 29 May 2015 22:11:30 GMT

Once again, the month of May provided great opportunities for migratory birds. I photographed, and am still photographing, a large number of songbirds and I would like to share my photographs with you. I will continue to do so over the next two or three photo blog entries.

I want to begin with an entry that shows you some wildlife that can be found when you least expect it.

No matter how many times I see a Great White Egret I still have to stop and photograph them. They are a beautiful bird in the heron family and are usually found belly deep in swamps and lakes. Sometimes their bright white body draws your attention to them perched high in a tree.

Great Egret

The ever popular "gravel parking lot" bird known as a Killdeer. I call it a gravel parking lot bird because they nest in gravel, usually found in parking lots of state parks and such. Despite where they are usually found, they are actually known as a shorebird.

Killdeer

This next photograph is a lifer for me. While along the shore of Lake Erie, I was fortunate to see a small flock of Ruddy Turnstone. The Ruddy Turnstone is a shorebird that nests in the arctic north. The name "Turnstone" is appropriate for this bird as they use their slightly upturned bill to overturn pebbles and shells in the beach looking for invertebrates.

Ruddy TurnstoneMale

Most of us are used to seeing Gray Squirrels running around the woods, our yards, and local parks. Some areas have habitat for the slightly larger Fox Squirrel. I caught this Fox Squirrel leaning into a small stump and picking out seeds or other material to eat. This squirrel takes a break from its search to seemingly ask me "are you done yet?".

Eastern Fox Squirrel

The Gray Catbird is back from its wintering grounds of the deep south and Central America. They are called "catbird" because one of its calls sounds suspiciously like a cat. However, they are a mimic, so they are able to produce many different sounds, and do.

Gray Catbird

Always impressed with how the Canada Goose keep their family together.

Canada GooseKeeping the family close!

Here is another photo of the Great White Egret, the symbol of the National Audubon Society. You can see the patch on its face that turns neon green during breeding season.

Great Egret

Here is another look at a Ruddy Turnstone.

Ruddy TurnstoneMale

You never know what you are going to see when around water. All wildlife needs water to survive so a stream, pond, lake, etc... are excellent places to watch. I spotted this Mink while driving along a small waterway. I had to be quick and shoot from the car. Unfortunately, my photos didn't come out super sharp but since I never photographed a Mink before, I decided to share anyway.

Mink

The Common Grackle is a very common bird in the eastern and central United States. The Common Grackle is one of many bird species that can be seen on the ground, wings spread, allowing ants to crawl all over its body. That act is called "anting". The ants secrete formic acid in their sting and this may rid the bird of parasites.

Common Grackle

The male American Bullfrog's call is a deep and loud "Jug-o-rum jug-o-rum". Some people say it sounds like a cow mooing and that is why it has the word "bull" in its name. I found this one floating in a small pond amongst the reeds and cattails.

American Bullfrog

Check back soon for some very colorful, springtime songbird photographs.

Until next time,

Dan